7-30-19 Articles

FTC approves record $5B fine for Facebook

Jul 13

By Barbara Ortutay

AP Technology Writer

 

At $5 billion, the fine the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is about to levy on Facebook is by far the largest it's given to a technology company, easily eclipsing the second largest, $22 million for Google in 2012.

 

The long-expected punishment, which Facebook is well prepared for, is unlikely to make a dent in the social media giant's deep pockets. But it will also likely saddle the company with additional restrictions and another lengthy stretch of strict scrutiny.

 

Multiple news reports on Friday said the FTC has voted to fine Facebook for privacy violations and mishandling user data. Most of them cited an unnamed person familiar with the matter.

 

Facebook and the FTC declined to comment. The 3-2 vote broke along party lines, with Republicans in support and Democrats in opposition to the settlement, according to the reports.

 

The case now moves to the Justice Department's civil division for review. It's unclear how long the process would take, though it is likely to be approved. A Justice Department spokeswoman declined to comment on the Facebook matter.

 

For many companies, a $5 billion fine would be crippling. But Facebook is not most companies. It had nearly $56 billion in revenue last year. This year, analysts expect around $69 billion, according to Zacks. As a one-time expense, the company will also be able to exclude the amount from its adjusted earnings results –the profit figure that investors and financial analysts pay attention to.

 

“This closes a dark chapter and puts it in the rearview mirror with Cambridge Analytica,” said Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives. “Investors still had lingering worries that the fine might not be approved. Now, the Street can breathe a little easier.”

 

Facebook has earmarked $3 billion for a potential fine and said in April it was anticipating having to pay up to $5 billion.

 

But while Wall Street – and likely Facebook executives – may be breathing a little easier, the fine alone has not appeased Facebook critics, including privacy advocates and lawmakers.

 

“The reported $5 billion penalty is barely a tap on the wrist, not even a slap,” said Senator Richard Blumenthal, a Democrat from Connecticut. “Such a financial punishment for a purposeful, blatant illegality is chump change for a company that makes tens of billions of dollars every year.”

 

He and others questioned whether the FTC will force Facebook to make any meaningful changes to how it handles user data. This might include limits on what information it collects on people and how it targets ads to them. It's currently unclear what measures the settlement includes beyond the fine.

 

Privacy advocates have been calling on the FTC to come down on Facebook for a decade, but over that time the company's money, power and Washington influence has only increased.

 

“Privacy regulation in the U.S. is broken. While large after-the-fact fines matter, what is much more important is strong, clear rules to protect consumers,” said Nuala O'Connor, president and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology. The CDT is pushing for federal online privacy legislation.

 

Some have called on the FTC to hold Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg personally liable for the privacy violations in some way, but based on the party line vote breakdown, experts said this is not likely.

 

Marc Rotenberg, president of the nonprofit online privacy advocacy group Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), said he was “confused” as to why the Democratic commissioners didn't support the settlement and said he suspects, without having seen the actual settlement, that this was due to the Zuckerberg liability question.

 

“But I thought that was misguided,” he said, adding that EPIC instead supports more wholesale limits on how Facebook handles user privacy.

 

Since the Cambridge Analytica debacle erupted more than a year ago and prompted the FTC investigation, Facebook has vowed to do a better job corralling its users' data. That scandal revealed that a data mining firm affiliated with President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign improperly accessed private information from as many as 87 million Facebook users through a quiz app. At issue was whether Facebook violated a 2011 settlement with the FTC over user privacy.

 

Other leaky controls have also since come to light. Facebook acknowledged giving big tech companies like Amazon and Yahoo extensive access to users' personal data, in effect exempting them from its usual privacy rules. And it collected call and text logs from phones running Google's Android system in 2015.

 

Wall Street appeared unfazed at the prospect of the fine. Facebook's shares closed at $204.87 on Friday and added 24 cents after hours. The stock is up more than 50 percent since the beginning of the year. In fact, Facebook's market value has increased by $64 billion since its April earnings report when it announced how much it was expecting to be fined.

 

Rep. David Cicilline, a Democrat from Rhode Island, said in a statement that the fine gives Facebook “a Christmas present five months early. It's very disappointing that such an enormously powerful company that engaged in such serious misconduct is getting a slap on the wrist. This fine is a fraction of Facebook's annual revenue.”

 

Cicilline leads the House Judiciary subcommittee on antitrust, which is pursuing a bipartisan investigation of the big tech companies' market dominance.

 

The fine, however, doesn't spell the end of Facebook's troubles. The company faces a slew of other investigations, both in the U.S. and overseas, that could carry their own fines and, more importantly possible limits to its data collection. This includes nearly a dozen by the Irish Data Protection Commissioner, which oversees privacy regulation in the European Union.

 

 

Study: California's 12 oldest prisons need major fixes

By Don Thompson

Associated Press

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Jul 16 – California's 12 oldest prisons, some dating to the mid-1800s, need major repairs or replacements if they are to continue housing about a third of the state's inmate population, according to a new state-commissioned study made public Tuesday.

 

“In nearly all cases, the building and site systems evaluated at all 12 studied prisons has exceeded their expected useful life,” said the private consultants' initial report, made public in a court filing. “Indeed, most of the systems date to the prisons' original construction.”

 

They include San Quentin State Prison, built in 1852, and Folsom State Prison, built in 1880. Two other prisons date from the World War II era, and two others were “repurposed from former military housing.”

 

The $5.4 million Kitchell CEM study is still underway and the consultants haven't estimated the cost to fix all 12 prisons. But the projected cost to fix just one prison built in 1955 was estimated at more than $763 million.

 

“Do the math – 11 other prisons,” said Don Specter, director of the nonprofit Prison Law Office that is involved in major lawsuits over inmates' welfare. “Prisons are literally crumbling.”

 

Corrections department spokeswoman Terry Thornton said the department began seeking the study in 2016.

 

“It's to guide future planning and investment in the department's infrastructure needs,” she said.

 

State budget officials and lawmakers would have to approve any spending.

 

The report comes as the state is already scrambling to fix deteriorating prison roofs that in some cases have required officials to stop using dining or housing areas. The state committed $260 million over four years to repair leaking roofs at more than two dozen of the state's 35 prisons where the cost of overdue maintenance is estimated at more than $1 billion.

 

The consultants generally recommended between seven to 10 large projects at each prison to keep them running, with a priority on inmates' safety and welfare.

 

“In a few instances, the recommendation is to suspend operations of a particular building until repairs can be made,” they warned. But while a majority of prison buildings and other infrastructure are “beyond their useful life,” they may still be in operational condition. Completing the recommended repairs and replacements would make it likely the prisons “will continue to operate for the foreseeable future,” they said.

 

Specter said he, too, is concerned that some areas may be uninhabitable.

 

“Decades of deferred maintenance have led to this. What the state has done is ignore the need to routinely replace some of these critical infrastructure for decades,” he said.

 

The state needs the prisons to stay below a court-ordered population cap, set after prisons grew so crowded more than a decade ago that inmates were sleeping in triple-tiered bunks in gymnasiums and other common areas.

 

“These prisons have been put through the ringer,” Specter said. “Many of them have not only been inhabited past their useful life, but they put thousands more people in them than they were designed for, so that takes its toll as well.”

 

The only fully completed estimate is $763.5 million for the California Medical Facility in Vacaville, southwest of Sacramento. The consultants recommended repairing some buildings but said others, including some housing units, should be replaced.

 

By contrast, the entire cost for the state's newest prison, another medical facility opened in 2013 in Stockton, was $839 million.

 

“The price tag is enormous,” Specter said. “Three-quarters of a billion dollars just for one prison.”

 

 

AC Transit service to return to S.F. transit center

Submitted by Robert Lyles

 

Following months-long appraisals and reviews, officials from the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District (AC Transit), are happy to announce the restoration of Transbay Bus Line service to the Salesforce Transit Center beginning Sunday, August 11.

 

Numerous factors accelerated AC Transit’s return date to Salesforce Transit Center, including bus operator training running ahead of forecasted schedules, and advancements of the reinstallation of the bus deck interior finishes by the Transbay Joint Powers Authority.

 

“Following last year’s discovery of fissures in the steel beams supporting the bus deck, the AC Transit Board of Directors demanded assurances that repairs of the beams would be unequivocally safe and sound,” said AC Transit Board President, Joe Wallace. “The findings presented to our board provided robust certainties that support restoring service to our 13,000 daily Transbay riders.”

 

In addition to the nationally recognized five-member peer review committee, empaneled by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC), AC Transit performed its internal review of the steel beam remediation.

 

“Our engineering staff members observed installation; monitored physical inspections; and reviewed girder fabrication, design stresses and inspection reports of the girders at Fremont and First Streets,” said Michael Hursh, General Manager. “This comprehensive analysis was the foundation I needed to assure that our bus operators, service employees, mechanics, and road supervisors are indeed safely working in a world-class transit center.”

 

AC Transit riders are reminded that operating hours and frequency of Transbay Bus Lines are limited on Sundays; as a result, the full launch of all 26 Transbay lines and four early bird express lines will resume on Monday, August 12. Transbay lines will once again bypass congested San Francisco surface streets by traveling on the dedicated bus ramp.

 

Twenty-seven bus bays, dedicated exclusively to AC Transit, allow better accommodations for the popular Transbay Bus Lines and double-deck coaches. Recommissioning the transit center also restores the first of its kind Bus Storage Facility (BSF). The BSF is located adjacent to the Salesforce Transit Center and helps the district to reduce fuel consumption, maintenance costs, and greenhouse gases.

 

More information about Transbay bus lines, trip planning, and ACT RealTime bus locations is available online at www.actransit.org.

 

 

Adobo Festival: Uniting Filipino-American Community

By Charlene Dizon

Photos by Joey Camins

 

The heat and adventure of summer often heightens our craving to explore new foods. The upcoming annual “Adobo Festival,” held Saturday, August 3 – Sunday, August 4, perfectly satisfies this summer appetite by providing authentic Filipino food for all to savor and enjoy.

 

Now in its 14th year, the Adobo Festival stemmed from Filipino founder and organizer Joey Camins, who was inspired by other food festivals he had attended. Amongst other popular Filipino foods such as lumpia and pancit, adobo is yet another favored savory dish. This Filipino staple consists of pork marinated in soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, and black peppercorns served with rice. Camins states, “There are so many festivals for all kinds of food, like the Asparagus Festival or the Garlic Festival. So, I thought to myself: ‘Why not create an Adobo Festival so that I can share my culture and food with everyone?’”

 

From this idea came the birth of the first Adobo Festival in 2006. Though at the time it was held in a parking lot, a whopping three hundred attendees arrived. Since then, the festival has greatly grown in its number of visitors, with recent fairs having as many as 6,000 attendees. The festival is held in a new location every year and has reached various cities, including Union City, Sacramento, and Stockton. With Milpitas as this year’s selected location, all East Bay residents are free to enjoy the Filipino food and fun activities offered. Hosting an Adobo Festival calls for providing diverse and delicious Filipino cuisine, as well as classic American favorites. Everything from adobo, halo-halo, ice cream, kettle corn, and more are served.

 

Camins also was set on creating a special symbol to represent the festival and its significance to Filipino culture. “When I went to other festivals, they had their symbols like flowers or statues. So, I decided to have a vinta created in honor of my hometown, Mindanao,” he states. A vinta is a traditional boat with brightly colored sails originating from the Philippine island, Mindanao. The boat is historically associated with past Muslim tribes in the Philippines that traveled via vinta. “It took four months to assemble, but it was worth it,” Camins adds. “People love it and everyone who comes to the festival takes pictures with it.”

 

Those attending can not only taste adobo at the festival but cook it, as well. An Adobo Cook-Off Contest is held for amateur cooks 18 years of age and up who wish to enter their version of adobo. Roughly ten contestants must bring their own marinated meat and are given only thirty minutes to prepare their dish. Burners and butanes are provided to the contestants, along with Datu Puti Vinegar and soy sauce. Prizes range from $50 to $200. “This is one of the most fun parts of the festival because you get to see how each person makes their adobo and how it can be different,” Camins states. Each dish is judged based on flavor, originality, and presentation. The contest is sure to keep both cooks and attendees in anticipation.

 

Yet another highlight of the festival is musical entertainment. Not only is the music live, but non-stop as well. Live performances from several talented, up-and-coming Filipino artists and groups are held for attendees to listen to and applaud. Camins states, “I’ve always loved listening to music at other festivals I’ve attended because music brings people together. It’s important to me to have non-stop entertainment so that we can highlight lots of Filipino talent.” Performances include both singing and cultural dances. For younger children who wish to join, a Kiddie Popstar Contest is held for ages four through ten. The exception of the “no intermissions” rule are the raffles. “We’ve given winners prizes like airline tickets to the Philippines. The raffles make people want to stay,” Camins adds. With both prizes and cultural performances to enjoy, attendees are sure to feel captivated by all that the Filipino-American community has to offer.

 

The Adobo Festival remains as a primary positive symbol highlighting the warm and welcoming Filipino-American community. “What amazes me is that not only Filipinos come but other backgrounds, as well,” says Camins. “I feel really happy and content to see our culture being appreciated by others and I’m glad that it encourages the communities we visit to see what Filipino culture is all about.”

 

Adobo Festival

Saturday, Aug 3 – Sunday, Aug 4

11 a.m. – 7 p.m.

101 N Main St near Windsor Dr., Milpitas

650-290-0542

www.adobofestivalusa.com

 

 

Alameda County Fire Department

Submitted by Aisha Knowles, ACFD

 

Sunday, July 21

• At 7:46 p.m. firefighters responded to a working residential fire on the 2700 block of Condor Street in Union City. The one-alarm fire caused damage to the attached garage of the house. Smoke and flames breached the living space but were held in check by fire crews. Two adults were medically evaluated at the scene and will be temporarily displaced. Another resident sustained minor injuries but was treated and released. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

 

 

Alameda County Sheriff’s Office

Submitted by Sgt. Ray Kelly, ACSO

 

Wednesday, May 24

• During a multi-location search warrant operation in unincorporated Alameda County, members of the Eden Township Substation Investigations Bureau located 25 firearms, including various handguns, automatic weapons, Glock auto sears and FN 5.7 mm weapons. The Sheriff’s Office is working in conjunction with agents from Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms to seek Federal Prosecution for various weapons offences. Suspect identities will not be released while the investigation continues.

 

 

Alameda County Transportation Commission receives recognition

Submitted by Alameda County Transportation Commission

 

Alameda County Transportation Commission (CTC) has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for its Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the year ended June 30, 2018. The Certificate of Achievement, awarded by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA), is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

 

“This fiscal leadership and financial transparency help to attract additional funds for transportation to Alameda County and ensure our promise to taxpayers to deliver critical transportation projects and programs,” said Alameda CTC Chairman Supervisor Richard Valle.

 

The commission has demonstrated success in administering funds to support transportation-related projects and programs. “This award is a testament to the commission’s continued commitment to the highest standards and transparency in the conveyance of financial information to the taxpayers of Alameda County,” said Alameda CTC Executive Director Arthur L. Dao.

 

 

An Open Letter to the Fremont Community:

July 29, 2019

 

The City of Fremont has been ranked as the “happiest city” in America, but recently, many are not happy. Why? Because the City recently began studying the potential of creating a temporary Housing Navigation Center as part of a comprehensive effort to address the growing challenge of homeless encampments spreading through the city. The thoughts of possibly having the Center near their neighborhood got many worried. While we understand their concerns and requests not to have the Center near schools or residential areas, we also have a responsibility to look into all factors to address this crisis realistically and effectively. As your Mayor, I sincerely hope to have your support and understanding by way of this letter.

 

The City has undertaken many efforts and has seen a steady increase in several areas:

• In July 2018, the City had identified 133 encampment sites; as of June 2019, that number has increased to 178 encampment sites.
• In Fiscal Year 2018-19, which runs July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019, the City has conducted biweekly cleanups removing 72.33 tons of debris using approximately 900 contractor work hours.
• The Police Department notes that almost one-half of their calls for service are related to concerns about homeless persons, often taking them away from more serious matters. Homelessness in and of itself is not a crime.

 

The challenge continues to grow and isn’t going away on its own. California shares the largest burden of the national crisis, with 25% of the nation’s homeless population. Between 2017 and 2019 the number of homeless individuals in Alameda County increased 43%. Mayors from all cities in Alameda County have met monthly over the last year to work on collaborative solutions to this issue.

 

Motivated by a desire to resolve these challenges and to make the most use of over $2,000,000 in state funding, the City began studying the merits and viability of a Homeless Navigation Center, defined as follows:

 

A Housing Navigation Center is a facility that transitions, those experiencing homelessness, into permanent housing, stabilization, and self-sufficiency, through coordinated services.

 

On Site Services:

• No walk-ins
• Adults only
• Up to 6-month stay
• One-on-one intensive housing case management
• Linkages to other needed services
• Hygiene facilities
• Meal services
• Placement to permanent and supportive housing
• Management and operations plan
• 24/7 staffing and security
• A safe, clean, calm and flexible environment to rebuild lives

 

Upon studying and learning that the Navigation Center model is operating successfully in other cities, both Alameda County and Hayward are in the process of opening Navigation Centers as well, and the Vallejo City Council approved funding for a Navigation Center in May 2019, our City Council decided unanimously to do the same for our community.

 

While legitimate concerns have been expressed by neighborhood groups, others have reacted heatedly based on assumptions, such as people without a permanent home are likely to be sexual predators, criminals, and drug addicts. The fact is that many of the homeless in Fremont grew up here, attended school here, work here, or have family members in the area and identify as residents of the City of Fremont. For women especially, domestic violence is the leading cause of homelessness with 89% of homeless women having experienced severe physical or sexual abuse at some point in their lives.

 

With these dynamics in mind, as Fremont’s Mayor, I am seeking your cooperation to assure open and civil discussion, even of controversial issues, in a safe and orderly setting.

 

In order to effectively listen and represent our community and represent them, our City is engaging in a full outreach campaign and we will be hosting two workshops:

• Wednesday, August 14 from 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. at Harbor Light Church, 4760 Thornton Ave.
• Saturday, August 24 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at Harbor Light Church, 4760 Thornton Ave.

 

Additionally, an online forum is being developed as a platform for dialogue and to ensure that residents who are unable to attend the community workshops have an opportunity to participate. Information about the project, including previous staff reports, can be found on a dedicated webpage at www.Fremont.gov/NavigationCenter. A list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) has been developed by City staff from community member questions, and will continue to be updated at www.Fremont.gov/NavigationCenterFaqs. If you have a question that has not been answered it can be submitted to hnc@fremont.gov.

 

As the nation experiences its own challenges with divisive rhetoric, where people of differing opinions are personally attacked and ostracized, the City of Fremont is committed to working together to maintain the unity amidst diversity that has always been a hallmark of our City. We strive for a place where people from all backgrounds and perspectives can openly and safely share their viewpoints, and where residents have the opportunity to extend compassion for others beyond their nuclear families and neighborhoods. By working together, we can and will move Fremont forward.

 

For more information on how you can help, visit www.Fremont.gov/HowCanIHelp.

 

Sincerely,

Lily Mei

Mayor

 

 

Artists gather to celebrate a milestone

Article and photos submitted by Susan Helmer

 

The year was 1959 and the City of Fremont was barely three years old. The massive General Motors Assembly Plant would not open in the city for four more years. And, the area’s first regional shopping center, the Fremont Hub, was two years away from welcoming its first customers. But, for local artists, the time was right to make a splash in the community by establishing the Fremont Art Association (FAA).

 

On Saturday, July 13, members from FAA gathered to celebrate the organization’s 60th birthday. The party included a catered dinner by Ambrose Butchery, vegetarian dishes by Paradise Restaurant, and cakes from Whole Foods. Members enjoyed an afternoon of conversation and artistic stimulation.

 

FAA was established by a small group of local artists and organized into a non-profit association in 1987. They founded the Festival of the Arts at the Fremont Hub in 1961, and successfully ran this art show until 1983 when City of Fremont took over because the festival had grown so large. Success of the festival in those early days gave artists in the organization a desire to be more active in the community and continue to promote the arts to the general public.

 

The group now operates a cooperative gallery at 37697 Niles Blvd. FAA also offers monthly guest artist demonstrations, gallery exhibiting privileges, annual events, and the opportunity to interact with a large group of seasoned artists. The Annual Juried Art Show is currently accepting entries until August 25 and, on August 7 at 1 p.m., the association is hosting a macramé art demonstration.

 

Membership in the FAA is open to anyone 18 or older interested in supporting the group’s goals of fostering, promoting and encouraging the cultivation, and appreciation of art. For details, visit the FAA website at www.fremontartassociation.org.

 

Fremont Art Association

37679 Niles Blvd., Fremont

Tues: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Thurs: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Fri – Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Mon & Wed CLOSED

(510) 792-0905

www.fremontartassociation.org

 

 

Ashley Hess Concert

Submitted by Nick Nardolilo

Photos courtesy of Alyssa Ladenburg

 

Vocal powerhouse Ashely Hess is coming to Newark on Saturday, August 10. The Washington High School alumna made Top 14 in American Idol 2019. She will perform at the ALoft Silicon Valley venue, and Joey T & Friends Trio will also make a guest appearance during the performance.

 

Driven by heartfelt lyrics and soul-tingling melodies the California-born, Nashville-based artist, Ashley Hess enamors and draws audiences in. She intertwines Pop with R&B, backed by an emotional connection that produces an astonishingly powerful performance.

 

Although much of her music has a theme of sadness and heartbreak, there is a layer of hope and vulnerability that inspires. Her raw performance is contrasted with her infectiously goofy personality that shines through on stage in between songs, as well as off stage, and provides a balance that makes her relatable. This magnetic polarity has allowed her to share the stage with national acts such as Andy Grammer, Us the Duo, Jason Mraz, and Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons. Ashley grew up singing in church, but music wasn’t at the forefront of her life until she moved to Utah and started digging into writing and performing. It's there that she started creating her own music, which ignited her passion.

 

Hess has released three original singles, one of which, “Running,” was released in August 2018. She is currently writing and preparing to record her first original EP that is set to release in 2020.

 

Food and wine (provided by White Crane Winery) will be available for purchase. Tickets are $20 per person, and seating is limited so reservations are required. Parking is free. For more information or to reserve your spot, call Nick at (925) 321-5463.

 

Ashley Hess Concert

Saturday, Aug 10

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

ALoft Silicon Valley Hotel

8200 Gateway Blvd, Newark

(925) 321-5463

Tickets: $20

 

 

Back-to-school shopping made easy

Submitted by Dyanne Griffin

 

Parents have a new tool in their back-to-school bag of tricks this year as all their school’s supply lists are now posted on TeacherLists.com. With just one or two clicks, parents can find their child’s exact supply list and then click right over to pre-filled shopping carts on Target, Walmart, Office Depot, Amazon, or Staples to buy their list and have the supplies shipped right to their home. Target, Walmart, Office Depot, and Staples also offer in-store pick up. The site includes lists for Fremont Kitayama Elementary, Union City New Horizons School, and Fremont Prince Of Peace Lutheran School, among others.

 

“For decades, the supply list process has been a frustration for parents,” said TeacherLists CEO Charles Field. “Where to find the lists? When are they available? Forgetting the list on the counter at home. Hunting the aisles for the specific items their teacher has requested. All those issues are solved with TeacherLists.”

 

Lists for more than one million classrooms are live on the site and include required and requested items as well as specific notes and clarifications from teachers and school staff. For details, visit www.teacherlists.com/parents.

 

 

BART Police Log

Submitted by Les Mensinger and BART PD

 

Friday, July 19

• At 11:14 a.m. a man identified by police as Gene Mabry, 39, of Oakland was arrested at Union City station on suspicion of disobeying a court order, probation violation and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was taken to Santa Rita Jail.

 

Saturday, July 20

• At 9:05 p.m. a man identified by police as Charles Hemphill, 37, of San Francisco, was arrested at the Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of disorderly conduct. He was booked into jail.

 

Monday, July 22

• At 1:15 a.m. a suspect identified by police as Jontori Lee, 25, was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of domestic battery. Lee was booked into local jail.

 

Tuesday, July 23

• At 9:36 p.m. a man identified by police as Thomas Lake, 59, of Oakland was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of being drunk in public. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

 

Wednesday, July 24

• At 9:54 a.m. a man identified by police as Edgardo Jason Tiran, 46, of Richmond was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on a warrant for assault with a deadly weapon. He was booked into Martinez Detention Facility.
• At 4:40 p.m. a woman identified by police as Chynna Brown, 20, of San Francisco, was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of burglary. She was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

 

Thursday, July 25

• At 11:37 a.m. a man identified by police as Robert Wallace, 33, of Oakland was arrested at Bay Fair station in San Leandro on suspicion of engaging in lewd conduct and interfering with a business. He was booked into Santa Rita Jail.

Takes from Silicon Valley East

 

 

 

‘Shop Fremont’ gift card program

By Tina Kapoor, economic development manager

 

With summer upon us, our streets are once again coming alive with festivals and community events. Whether it’s Festival of the Arts, Street Eats, pop-up vendor fairs in Downtown, or the annual dog show in Niles, one thing is clear: local events bring the community together and support a vibrant public life. These gatherings not only allow us to meet our neighbors and enjoy the public realm, but also serve as a perfect opportunity and reminder to shop local and join the growing localism movement.

 

Why to shop local?

Studies show that supporting local businesses strengthens communities by sustaining vibrant shopping areas, looping revenue back into the local economy, and linking neighbors in a web of economic and social relationships. According to the U.S. Small Business Association (www.sba.gov) and the U.S. Department of Labor (www.dol.gov), there are numerous positive impacts of small, independent business on local economies.

 

For example:

• For every $100 you spend at local businesses, $68 will stay in the community.
• Small businesses employ 77 million Americans and accounted for 65 percent of all new jobs over the last two decades.
• Local businesses are owned and operated by our neighbors. They care about and are invested in the well-being of our community and its future.

 

From homemade ice cream to local flower shops to authentic ethnic restaurants, Fremont’s neighborhood business districts are home to many unique establishments. As we know, small businesses play an important role in creating jobs, supporting local causes, and upholding our city’s deep-rooted character. And how this all plays out in our business districts is a story worth reading at https://www.thinksiliconvalley.com/weirdification/.

 

The Fremont Chamber of Commerce is an important partner in this and continues to support the local economy through advocacy and creative programs. And that brings us to – Shop Fremont – a perfect tool to boost the shop local phenomenon. The Shop Fremont digital gift card, which can be used at any participating local merchant for products or services, was created using Yiftee’s (https://yiftee.com) nifty gift card platform. Buy the eGift card online for any amount and receive it electronically and instantly. It’s super convenient, and you can pat yourself on the back for supporting local businesses in the community.

 

If you are a Fremont merchant or a service provider, consider participating in the program by offering discounts to Shop Fremont cardholders. Similarly, larger corporations, professional businesses, and residents can utilize this program to give a gift that “gives back” to the community. You can order in bulk to give to your employees as an incentive, in a welcome basket, or as a raffle prize – the possibilities are endless.

 

Shop Fremont eGift cards can be bought at http://tinyurl.com/shopfremont. Sign up today and start discovering some great products and services while helping build a strong and successful community around you.

 

Visit the chamber of commerce website to see the list of active Shop Fremont merchants, and enjoy an extra discount offered only with a Shop eGift Card purchase. Check out the participating merchants ready to serve you: Titans Kingdom, Burger & Brew Fest, Aria Printing & Shipping, Capitol Eye Care Center, Das Brew, Haller’s Pharmacy, Massimo’s, and Fremont Flowers.

 

To learn more about the program, contact KK Kaneshiro, Fremont Chamber of Commerce, at (510) 795-2244 or at kaneshiro@Fremontbusiness.com. Small businesses are a big deal. Initiatives like Shop Fremont help them thrive.

 

 

California gets environmental oversight on rail project

By Kathleen Ronayne

Associated Press

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Jul 25 – The Trump administration has given California permission to oversee federal environmental reviews for a high-speed rail line between San Francisco and Los Angeles, even as the administration tries to cancel a nearly $1 billion grant for the project.

 

The designation announced Thursday will speed up the environmental review process for the troubled project, said Brian Annis, chief financial officer of the California High-Speed Rail Authority.

 

It's the latest development in the rocky relationship between California and the Trump administration over the project, which has been plagued by cost overruns and delays since California voters first approved it in 2008. It's now expected to cost $79 billion and take until at least 2033 to complete.

 

California sought environmental approval in early 2018 and has previously faulted the Trump administration for the delay in approval.

 

“We've certainly been anxious to get it,” Annis said.

 

The state referenced the delay in a May lawsuit it filed seeking to block the Trump administration from cancelling a $929 million grant for the project. That money is part of $3.5 billion the state won under the Obama administration that must be used by 2022 to build an initial segment of track in the Central Valley and complete environmental reviews.

 

The Trump administration alleged in cancelling the funding that California wasn't making enough progress toward the deadline.

 

California's lawsuit alleged the Federal Railroad Administration stopped environmental clearance work on the project in September, stalling the state's efforts.

 

“We've lost valuable time waiting with the FRA's disengagement, so I am very thankful for this action, and I am hopeful this step is the beginning of a more collaborative and cooperative relationship prospectively,” Brian Kelly, the project's chief executive, said in a statement.

 

It's not unprecedented for the federal government to give a state the authority to oversee environmental reviews. California is one of six states that can do that on highway systems. But this is the first time the railroad administration has granted similar status for a rail project.

 

“FRA is taking this step after working diligently with the State through technical issues and considering public comment,” spokesman Warren Flatau said in an email.

 

 

Families with autism a safe place to play and learn

Submitted by Kimberly Hawkins

 

Summer is a season of fun and exploration. For typically-developing children (those without disabilities) there are endless options when it comes to activities. But for children with autism, choices are limited and often cost prohibitive for families.

 

Shubha Kashinath, associate professor and chairwoman of the Department of Communicative Sciences and Disorders is intent on changing that. Pioneer Pals not only gives children with autism a safe place to have fun and engage in play, but also address core social communication skills. Simultaneously, the camp provides real-world training for students who serve as camp staff in special education, speech language and hearing sciences, and theatre and dance.

 

“Typically, graduate training programs provide students with opportunities to work one-on-one with children with autism, but don’t often have opportunities to train students to provide intervention in group settings,” said Kashinath. “Our graduate students lead camp activities around themes – learning to incorporate fun, age-appropriate games and activities to teach critical social communication skills to children with autism with a range of abilities and skills.”

 

This year, the camp will wrap up Thursday, August 25 with a celebration for the 21 participants – as well as their siblings – who were invited to attend the camp at no additional cost.

 

Pioneer Pals

Cal State East Bay

25800 Carlos Bee Blvd, Hayward

(510) 885-3241

http://www.csueastbay.edu/slhs/clinic/pioneer-pals.html

 

 

California skirts Trump, signs mileage deal with 4 companies

By Tom Krisher and Ellen Knickmeyer

Associated Press

 

DETROIT (AP), Jul 25 – Four major automakers have reached a deal with California to increase gas mileage and Greenhouse gas emissions standards, bypassing the Trump administration's push to freeze requirements at 2021 levels.

 

Ford, BMW, Honda and Volkswagen signed the deal with the California Air Resources Board, the state's air pollution regulator, which had been at odds with the Trump administration for months. California has said it would exercise its powers to set more stringent pollution and mileage standards than the federal government has proposed.

 

The Trump administration reacted angrily to the end run, with Environmental Protection Agency spokesman Michael Abboud calling it a “PR stunt” and charging that California regulators “continually refused to produce reasonable and responsible proposals.”

 

The administration has sought to freeze Obama administration standards, keeping fleetwide new-vehicle mileage at 2021 levels of about 30 mpg. The administration says the extra expense to comply with the requirements will raise the price of new cars, making them unaffordable and depriving buyers of new safety technology. The administration also has threatened to challenge California's ability to set its own standards.

 

In a statement Thursday, California regulators said their deal delays by one year the new-vehicle fuel efficiency requirements approved under the Obama administration for model years 2022 through 2025. That means the fleet of new vehicles would have to average around 36 miles per gallon in real-world driving by 2026. The deal also slightly slows the rate of growth in the early years “to provide additional lead time” for the auto industry, the statement said.

 

The four automakers see the California agreement as “insurance” to provide some certainty to the industry and the state no matter who wins the 2020 presidential elections, according to a person familiar with the talks who asked not to be identified because details of the negotiations haven't been made public.

 

The four automakers represent only about 30% of U.S. new-vehicle sales.

 

The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which represents a dozen automakers in and out of the California deal, said in a statement that the industry still wants nationwide standards with year-over-year mileage increases that fit with what people are now buying, SUVs and trucks.

 

“Today's announcement of the framework of an agreement by California and certain automakers acknowledges that the MY2022-2025 standards developed by the Obama administration are not attainable and need to be adjusted,” said the statement from the alliance.

 

Alan Baum, a Detroit-area consultant who does work for the auto industry and environmental groups, said the deal is clearly designed to get the rest of the auto industry on board and to force the Trump administration to the bargaining table with California.

 

“This really puts California in a much stronger position because this really puts some pressure on the federal government,” Baum said. “These four automakers don't want to be out on an island here. They would like their competitors to do this as well.”

 

He said the deal could delay a final rule that's supposed to come from the federal government in August or September, keeping the current standards in place longer. For the automakers, it's not much different from how they were preparing to meet the Obama administration standards, he said.

 

Under the agreement, fuel economy and corresponding greenhouse gas emissions standards would rise by 3.7% per year starting with the 2022 model year, through 2026, according to the statement from the four automakers. They would have gone up by 4.7% per year through 2025 under the Obama standards, according to California.

 

Automakers could get 1 percentage point of the increase by using advanced technology credits such as those for hydrogen fuel cell, plug-in gas-electric hybrids, and battery electric vehicles. And they would get credits for devices that aren't counted in EPA test cycles such as stopping the engine at red lights and restarting it quickly when the driver wants to go. The process would be streamlined to get credits approved for new technologies.

 

The automakers also agreed to recognize California's authority to set its own standards, which are followed by at least a dozen other states, and they will not challenge the state's authority, according to the statement.

 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which draws up federal standards with the EPA, said the government continues to work on a final fuel economy rule that will apply to all automakers. The administration's proposals do not prevent any automaker from designing and building highly fuel-efficient vehicles, the agency said in a statement.

 

The four automakers came to California with the proposal, and the Air Resources Board hopes other companies will join them, Chairwoman Mary Nichols said Thursday. The state is reaching out to other automakers, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

 

“We can have a single vehicle fleet regardless of what Trump does,” Newsom said.

 

Some environmental groups like the Sierra Club praised the agreement, saying it shows that California won't stand by while the Trump administration tries to lower standards for carbon pollution.

 

But Dan Becker of the Safe Climate Campaign said the deal has so many loopholes for automakers that it will cut in half the fuel efficiency and pollution improvements under the Obama-era standards.

––––

 

Kathleen Ronayne contributed from Sacramento, California. Knickmeyer reported from Washington.

 

 

CalSTRS says it earned 6.8 percent in investment returns last year

AP Wire Service

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Jul 23 – The country's second-largest retirement system says it earned 6.8 percent on its investments last year.

 

The California State Teachers' Retirement System says its goal is to average returns of 7 percent each year. The fund that covers more than 600,000 educators is valued at a record high of $236.9 billion. The system has 64 percent of the money it needs to pay benefits over the next few decades, leaving a gap of $107.2 billion as of June 30, 2018.

 

CalSTRS funding plan calls for the system to be fully funded by 2046.

 

Chief Investment Officer Christopher J. Ailman called it “a roller coaster year and a very challenging environment to generate returns.”

 

The most recent state budget provides an additional $5.1 billion to the system to reduce state and employer contribution rates.

 

 

Chabot Summer Youth Sports Program

Submitted by Guisselle Nunez

 

To keep kids active, provide educational opportunities and give students a place to go during summer, Chabot College recently hosted 110 students who are primarily from the Hayward Unified School District (HUSD) for its 18th annual Summer Youth Sports Program (SYSP).

 

The half-day, four-week program was more than a sports camp; SYSP provided underrepresented youth in grades four through seven the opportunity to visit Chabot and participate in activities and educational programs that present a positive representation of college to students who, for various reasons, may not consider continuing their education after completing high school.

 

Part of expanding the program beyond sports, included SYSP continuing its STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics) component. The program gave students access to daily STEAM-focused learning, including art, robotics, culinary arts and a welding demonstration, among other workshops. Additionally, the SYSP began a free, Family STEAM workshop series this summer. Approximately 30 families participated in the series, which offered free childcare to reduce barriers to participation, and all workshops were conducted in both English and Spanish.

 

“The Family STEAM workshop series was piloted this year and was designed to provide parents and caregivers with the resources and tools to empower them to support STEAM education at home with their children,” said Director of TRIO Educational Talent Search and Hayward Promise Neighborhood Grant Coordinator Robin Galas. “Summer is a huge opportunity to get students and their families on campus. There are not enough low-cost and free options for families struggling in the Bay Area.”

 

SYSP is offered for free each year through Chabot's TRIO Educational Talent Search program and the Hayward Promise Neighborhoods to students who could benefit from participating. Each student is additionally provided with free breakfast and lunch during the program. As a bonus, 21 Chabot students were also employed in various capacities to assist in providing a positive experience for campers during SYSP. The experience also gave them the opportunity to explore a possible future career of working with children.

 

Chabot's TRIO Educational Talent Search program

Chabot College

25555 Hesperian Blvd, Hayward

(510) 723-7676

etschabot@gmail.com

 

 

California governor encouraged by oil spill cleanup effort

By Andrew Oxford

Associated Press

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Jul 24 – Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that he is encouraged by Chevron's efforts to clean up what has turned into the state's largest oil spill in decades.

 

About 970,000 gallons (3,670,000 liters) have leaked from the ground at an oilfield west of Bakersfield over the last couple of months; about one third of it is oil and the other two-thirds water.

 

“I'm seeing progress,” Newsom said on a visit to the site, where the oil and water are contained in a dry desert creek bed. The leaks are known as surface expressions, which can be caused by injecting steam into the ground.

 

Chevron uses steam injection to extract oil in the Cymric Oil Field about 35 miles (55 kilometers) west of Bakersfield. The steam softens the thick crude so it can flow more readily. It is a different process from fracking, which breaks up underground layers of rock.

 

The company has said the initial leak began May 10 after its crews tried to seal off a damaged and abandoned well. The company said efforts to confirm the source of the original leak and shut it down unleashed higher flows in the weeks after the initial release was discovered.

 

The state issued Chevron a notice of violation ordering it to stop steam injections around the spill. The company also increased its production of oil from wells in the area. Both actions are intended to relieve underground pressure that may be forcing the mix of oil and water to the surface.

 

The latest seepage was noticed July 17.

 

The spill is the largest in California since 1990, when a tanker spilled more than 400,000 gallons (1.5 million liters) of crude oil off the coast of Huntington Beach.

 

Officials said the latest spill is not affecting waterways.

 

Still, Newsom told reporters the state would ask Chevron to turn over data so regulators can investigate the cause of the spill.

 

The Bakersfield Californian reported over the weekend that records show Chevron continued to inject steam into the ground at a site about 360 feet (110 meters) from where its crews were working on a well – a combination of activity that experts said probably contributed to the release. Chevron denied that steam played any role in the uncontrolled releases.

 

 

Civics for Citizenship

Submitted by Helen Christian

 

Studying to be a U.S. citizen? Need help with learning U.S. history and government? The Fremont Main Library and Newark Library provide free “Civics for Citizenship classes” and reading materials. To join, attend the orientation classes on Tuesday, August 13 or Wednesday, August 14.

 

Since 2013, Education and Literacy Services have been providing classes to help members learn U.S. history and government, not only to pass the U.S. Citizenship exam but also to understand its impact on current times and the importance of civic duty. For more information on the orientation classes, call Alameda County Library Education and Literacy Services at (510) 745-1480.

 

Orientation Class for Citizenship

Tuesday, Aug 13

6 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

 

Wednesday, Aug 14

12 noon – 1 p.m.

Newark Library

6300 Civic Terrace Ave., Newark

 

(510) 745-1480

 

 

California governor signs bill to clean up drinking water

By Adam Beam

Associated Press

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Jul 24 – California's governor on Wednesday signed a law that will take up to $130 million of state money each year that was supposed to clean up the air and instead use it to clean up drinking water.

 

Despite its status as the world's fifth largest economy, California has struggled to provide the basic service of clean tap water to more than 1 million of its residents. The problem is most acute in the Central Valley, the heart of the state's $20 billion agriculture industry, where large farms have polluted water sources for mostly rural communities.

 

The problem is so severe the state has a grant program to provide bottled water to some communities. As of June, the state was providing bottled water to about 18,000 Californians in 51 communities at a cost of about $4 million, said George Kostyrko of the State Water Resources Control Board. The state does not track the total number of bottles it hands out.

 

Shortly before signing the bill into law, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom spoke to some people in the city of Sanger in Fresno County who receive five 8-gallon (30 liter) jugs of water every two weeks through a grant program.

 

One woman speaking in Spanish told Newsom through an interpreter that she uses a jug of water for her son to take a shower, and that her son tries to save some of the water so she can bathe.

 

“Families shouldn't have to dump water over their heads to shower every day,” Newsom said in a statement. “This funding is critically important to addressing California's long-standing safe drinking water issues.”

 

California has grant programs that would fund infrastructure to deliver water to these rural communities, including a voter-approved $7.5 billion bond in 2014. But the state does not have a program to provide financing for cash-strapped water systems to operate that equipment, which can be a challenge for smaller systems lacking sufficient revenue.

 

Newsom proposed a tax on most residential water bills to fix this, but the Democratic-controlled state legislature rejected that proposal. Instead, they authorized a plan to take up to $130 million a year over the next decade from a fund that was meant to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

 

That fund is part of the state's cap and trade program, which requires the states' biggest polluters – including oil refineries and farms – to buy credits that let them pollute. The program has generated more than $9.5 billion since its inception, and state officials are supposed to use that money to improve the environment.

 

The drinking water plan has alarmed some environmental groups, who worry it sets a precedent of the state using the cap and trade money for other purposes as the state struggles to meets its emission reduction goals.

 

“The gray lines which already existed just became grayer,” Democratic state Sen. Bob Wieckowski, who voted against the plan, said in an interview last month.

 

But supporters, including bill author Democratic Sen. Bill Monning, said the spending is appropriate because climate change has impacted drinking water by accelerating the decline of groundwater basins and increasing naturally occurring environmental contaminants.

 

The law also requires the State Water Resources Control Board to develop a plan on how to spend the money, including identifying failing water systems that need the most help.

–––

 

Associated Press writer Andrew Oxford contributed.

 

 

Health fair resource booth spots available

Submitted by Rose Padilla Johnson

 

Davis Street, a non-profit community service organization in San Leandro is gearing up for its 5th Annual Health Fair coming Saturday, August 10. The event will include free medical and dental screenings, blood pressure checks, nutrition education and children’s health screenings. Other activities include a farmer’s market, family fun and games area and community information and resource booths.

 

Fair organizers are looking for local organizations that are interested in hosting an information or community resource booth at the fair, which runs from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday, August 10 in San Leandro. For information, call (510) 347-4620 extension 113 or email ksherman@davisstreet.org.

 

Davis Street Health Fair

Saturday, Aug 10

10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Free health screenings, family activities

Davis Street Health Center

3081 Teagarden St., San Leandro

(510) 347-4620

www.davisstreet.org

 

 

Sleek and Modern Master Bath Makeover

By Anna Jacoby

 

Built in the mid-1990’s, the original bath was plain, tired, and ready for a new look. With builder-grade oak cabinets and cultured marble shower walls, the bath was functional but not at all what the homeowner had in mind. No layout changes were required, so we could concentrate on the finishes, adding style and personality.

 

What we did:

 

Vanity area: I designed a new custom wall-mounted floating sleek vanity in textured black finish. Large drawers on each side of the sink provide ample storage for toiletries. The bottom drawer is deep enough for bulky items like hairdryers and large Costco-size containers. One big change in the makeover was to go from two sinks to just one. When I design master baths, I always ask: What is more useful – having two sinks or additional counter space? For couples who tend to use the bath one at a time or don’t mind sharing a sink, more counter space is welcome because it provides room to spread out. One sink also increases the storage capacity inside the vanity since the second sink compartment can now be turned into drawers.

 

Shower area: Out went the never-used tub and in came the luxurious walk-in shower. I chose large white tiles with an embossed wavy pattern for a very modern look. The shower pan and accent stripe are black sliced pebbles, adding contrast in color and texture. Opposite the plumbing wall is a very tall recessed niche with two shelves for shampoo and other necessities. The clear window glass was replaced with opaque glass to eliminate the need for a window covering.

 

Floor area: When this house was built, extending bedroom carpet into the bath area was very common. I never liked the idea as bathrooms are wet areas, and damp carpet just seems unsanitary and unappealing. The carpet remains in the bedroom but is replaced in the bath with new wood-look porcelain tiles in gray and white.

 

Lighting: Dimmable LED wall sconces flank the new round vanity mirror, and new LED recessed lights were added above the shower and in the vanity area. As lighting is distributed throughout the bath, the whole bathroom looks brighter now.

 

Color, pattern, and texture: This bath is a study in contrasts. I combined bright white tiles with black pebbles in the shower and a black vanity with a bright white countertop to create the high-contrast color scheme. Gray walls and gray and white floor act to soften the stark black and white. The red accent wall in the water closet becomes a surprise element and provides drama and interest. The countertop and chrome plumbing fixtures are highly polished; shower and floor tiles are matte finish; walls are glossy; and vanity cabinet is heavily textured. Large, smooth wavy lines on the large shower tiles combine with the irregular small pebble tiles.

 

When undertaking your own bath remodel, remember to incorporate contrasts in colors, textures, and patterns. Improve the lighting. Decide what is more important – two sinks or extra counter space? Remove the tub if you never use one. Create a design for your personal taste and style and enjoy for years to come.

 

 

California governor announces changes at troubled DMV

By Kathleen Ronayne

Associated Press

 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP), Jul 23 – California's DMV is trying to improve customer service by accepting credit cards, upgrading its website and offering clearer instructions on how to obtain a new federally mandated ID, but Gov. Gavin Newsom cautioned Tuesday the agency's long wait times and other troubles aren't over.

 

“This is going to take a few years. Next year will be tough,” Newsom said, referencing an expected surge in people using the Department of Motor Vehicles next year to acquire new IDs that will be required for air travel.

 

Newsom spoke as he released a report detailing efforts the DMV is making to improve services after wait times averaged two hours last summer, prompting outrage from lawmakers and customers. The state hired the high-powered firm McKinsey & Company to recommend improvements, with the funding coming out of roughly $240 million in new money the DMV got in this year's state budget.

 

Newsom also announced he's appointed Steve Gordon as the agency's director. Gordon is a longtime employee of the private sector, working for Cisco Systems and most recently for zTransforms, a consulting company focused on business-wide process improvement. He is not registered in a political party and will make $186,000. The state Senate must approve his appointment.

 

The DMV has been plagued by slow-downs related to the state's “motor voter” registration program and an uptick in people applying for REAL IDs, the new federal IDs that will be required for airplane travel starting in October 2020. More than 28 million Californians may seek a REAL ID.

 

Beyond hiring McKinsey, the state has brought in a public relations firm to create a statewide awareness campaign about the new IDs and a consulting firm to think about what DMV offices should look like. The report did not say how much each is being paid.

 

Other changes include the planned acceptance of credit cards, which will start at a Davis office in September before expanding to Fresno, Victorville and Roseville. The state hopes to eventually accept credit cards statewide. The DMV has also started launching REAL ID “pop ups” at businesses and plans to open 100 kiosks in August, where people can do routine transactions such as renewing vehicle registration without going to a customer service window.

 

The goal, Newsom said, is to improve through small changes. “We're not going big at first – we want to go small and build on successes,” he said.

 

The department plans to hire between 1,800 and 1,900 new workers, most of them temporary, through next year. Newsom's announcement comes a day before the DMV plans to close offices statewide for half a day for a day of training for its more than 5,000 employees.

 

Republican lawmakers were divided on the Democratic governor's actions. Republican Assemblyman Jim Patterson of Fresno faulted Newsom for “making excuses” for the DMV rather than re-imagining it and criticized him for saying wait times could be long again next summer. But GOP Sen. Pat Bates from Laguna Niguel said Newsom was taking “steps in the right direction to help fix the DMV.”

 

The report did not address problems with the state's “motor voter” registration programming, and Newsom said an audit on the program will be coming out soon.

 

 

EarthTalk

 

Dear EarthTalk: I was never keen on tent camping but I hear that the new “glamping” trend takes some of the discomfort out of spending the night in nature. Where are some “glamping” hotspots across the United States?

— Jon Rubinstein, Albany, New York

 

While traditional campgrounds are great, they don’t always feel like an escape to nature, especially given the dog-eat-dog aspect of scoring a site and the fact that you’ll be living right next to your neighbors. And while the price may be right — you can score a tent site in most state parks for less than $30 per night — maybe you’d be willing to pay more for privacy and some creature comforts? If you’re one of the millions of Americans yearning for more outdoors time but don’t want to deal with campgrounds, “glamping” (short for “glamorous camping”) might be just your speed.

 

Indeed, glamping is one of the hottest trends in the hospitality sector these days and several travel start-ups have risen to this challenge. To wit, Roam Beyond tows eco-friendly, solar-powered, off-grid camping trailers (made in the USA by sister company Homegrown Trailers) onto various sites in or near different iconic natural areas around the West. Their first two sites are in Washington State (on the Pacific coast and in the Cascade foothills) but the company has new sites in the works at Yellowstone, Joshua Tree, Sedona, Moab, Zion and the Grand Canyon.

 

Meanwhile, California-based AutoCamp offers guests the opportunity to spend the night in a tricked-out customized Airstream camping trailer in Yosemite, Sonoma or Santa Barbara. While AutoCamp originally sourced and rehabbed older trailers, now it works in partnership with Airstream in the production of hundreds of new customized ones. The company recently raised $115 million in venture capital to expand to several new locations in California and on the East Coast.

 

New York City isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think glamping, but Collective Retreats is trying to change all of that with its new platform-tent resort there on Governors Island. Yes, you’ll be sleeping in a tent, but inside you’ll have all the amenities you’d expect at a five-star hotel, including plush beds with high thread count linens, bathrooms with luxury amenities, and chef-prepared “farm-to-table” meals. You can also indulge in the Collective Retreats experience at their other properties in Upstate New York’s Hudson Valley on a working organic farm as well as in the Texas Hill Country and at Yellowstone and Vail.

 

Yet another option is Under Canvas, which operates safari-style canvas tent resorts in eight locations across the country including the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Moab, Glacier, Zion, Mt. Rushmore, Tucson and the Great Smokies. You’ll hardly be roughing it in one of Under Canvas’s tents given the en-suite bathrooms, king size beds, daily housekeeping and wood-burning stoves.

 

Of course, these start-ups didn’t invent glamping, and there are still many ways to glamp at one-off resorts and sites across the country. In fact, a quick search for glamping spots in the United States on GlampingHub.com turns up 20,000 listings. And many state parks and private campgrounds are devoting more space to yurts, tipis and even overnight lodging made out of refurbished shipping containers.

 

— Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss

 

EarthTalk is produced by Roddy Scheer and Doug Moss for the nonprofit EarthTalk. See more at https://emagazine.com. To donate, visit https://earthtalk.org. Send questions to: question@earthtalk.org.

 

 

Park It

By Ned MacKay

 

Summer is a perfect time for stargazing, with milder evening temperatures while constellations, planets, galaxies, and nebulae parade across the evening sky. There’s a great opportunity for summer astronomy in a free program from 8:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Saturday, August 3 at the Arroyo Road Staging Area of Del Valle Regional Park. The Tri-Valley Stargazers club will be there with telescopes to enhance the viewing. Bring flashlights and dress in layers. The Arroyo Staging Area is at the end of Arroyo Road, which is the extension of South L Street in downtown Livermore. For information, call (510) 544-3249.

 

If you’re more of a morning person, consider joining a naturalist from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 7 for an easy, 2.8-mile walk at Shadow Cliffs Regional Recreation Area in Pleasanton. This is one of the hikes on the 2019 Trails Challenge list, and it’s not too late to take up the challenge. The walk will highlight the cultural and natural history of the area.

 

Shadow Cliffs is on Stanley Boulevard just east of downtown Pleasanton. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. For information on the free walk, call (510) 544-3249.

 

Ohlone people and their culture are the focus of a free program from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 4 at Coyote Hills Regional Park in Fremont. Staff will talk about the Ohlones’ intimate relationship with nature, family, and their ancestors. The program is for ages 8 and older. Meet at the visitor center (not at the reconstructed village site).

 

Coyote Hills is at the end of Patterson Ranch Road off Paseo Padre Parkway. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle. For more information, call (510) 544-3220.

 

It’s Family Nature Fun Time from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday at Crab Cove Visitor Center in Alameda. There are family-friendly activities for all ages, and a new adventure each week. After that, the fish in the center’s large aquarium get fed from 3:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

 

Crab Cove is at the end of McKay Avenue, off Alameda’s Central Avenue. For information, call (510) 544-3187.

 

Tule reeds were used by the Ohlone for many purposes, including boat construction. You can make your own miniature tule boat from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 3 at the Environmental Education Center in Tilden Nature Area near Berkeley. Naturalist “Trail Gail” Broesder will lead the session, which includes a walk to a local pond to see if the boats will float.

 

The center is at the north end of Tilden’s Central Park Drive. For information, call (510) 544-2233.

 

How about helping with a bat census? There are bat colonies in the former mining tunnels at Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve in Antioch. You can stay after normal park hours to help staff monitor colonies as they emerge into the night sky.

 

The program, for ages 7 and older, requires walking uphill on terrain transitioning from asphalt to steep uneven sandstone. Three sessions are scheduled from 7:00 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Saturdays August 3, August 24 and August 31. There’s no fee, but registration is required. To register, call (888) 327-2757 and select option 2; for August 3, refer to program 25787, for August 24 refer to 25793, and for August 31 refer to 25795.

 

Black Diamond Mines is at the end of Somersville Road, 3½ miles south of Highway 4. There’s a parking fee of $5 per vehicle when the kiosk is attended.

 

Water as a liquid, solid, and gas is the topic of a get-your-hands-wet program from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, August 3 at Big Break Regional Shoreline in Oakley. American white pelicans are the subject of another program, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Sunday, August 4.

 

Big Break is at 69 Big Break Road, off Oakley’s Main Street. For information, call (888) 327-2757, ext. 3050.

 

All summer long, the East Bay Regional Parks are your go-to locations for lots of fun. For information visit, www.ebparks.org.

 

 

Editorial

PAR

 

PAR is a term often associated with the sport of golf. It is used to indicate an average of scores, setting a standard for a particular hole or course. It can also be found in descriptions of financial transactions to express a measurement of value. In common parlance, the terminology has been appropriated as “par for the course” for expected performance, “par excellence” meaning superior performance and “below par” for inadequate performance. As an acronym, PAR has a variety of meanings ranging from the airport code for Paris, France to a Performance and Accountability Report or Pixel Aspect Ratio. I propose adding PAR as shorthand for Proportionate Allocation Response as well.

 

Civic employee contracts are often tied to fiscal years so many municipalities find themselves in the midst of contract negotiations with various employee bargaining entities near that time of the year. Council agendas that address these agreements typically include Memorandums of Understandings (MOUs) under “Consent” items that require council ratification but face little, if any, scrutiny from the public. After all, it is reasonable to assume that these agreements are the result of thorough discussions and compromise, fair to everyone involved.

 

Often included in such negotiations are Cost of Living (COLA) increases that help employees maintain a standard of living commensurate with increases (or decreases) of the cost of goods and services. COLAs are typically calculated by a recognized authority such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. [Such increases are separate and apart from seniority and merit increases.] The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is adjusted to account for regional differences. Just as locale affects the cost of goods and services, people at different economic levels are affected differently as well.

 

Using equal COLA adjustments for all levels of a pay scale is a bit misleading. Since COLA adjustments are intended to maintain a standard of living commensurate with rising costs, it actually favors highly paid employees who may have a significant amount of discretionary income with little need for a cost of living raise to maintain their lifestyle. In fact, if a fixed percentage is used for all employees, no matter where they fall on the pay scale, the disparity between the low end and high end is enhanced.

 

For example, consider Employee A who earns $60,000 per year while her Supervisor, with more responsibility and seniority, is paid $200,000 for the same time period. Without merit pay increases for either party, their employer has negotiated a three percent COLA for all employees consistent with the regional CPI. What is the difference and is it a fair representation of an essential need?

 

Employee A

Before COLA:            $60,000           After 3% COLA:        $61,800

 

Supervisor

Before COLA             $200,000         After 3% COLA         $206,000

 

 

Difference before COLA        $140,000         Difference after COLA          $144,200

 

The difference is dramatic and a question arises of whether this truly represents an equal impact of cost of living increases on both employees. Where much of the income for Employee A probably goes to the cost of housing, food, transportation, etc., can the same be said for the supervisor? And, if so, is it fair for someone close to break-even or below to receive COLA equivalent to 30% of a higher end employee who is probably better prepared to absorb cost of living increases?

 

There may be many differences between living and family arrangements so the comparison is much more complex that a simple mathematical calculation. However, the disparity is striking. Not only does the lower-paid employee receive less assistance for increased costs, but the spread between their compensation and the higher end employees is now much greater. This is the fallacy of equivalent percentage increases. What can an employer and employee negotiator do about this?

 

One way to equalize the impact of CPI increases is to consider a proportionate adjustment depending on an employee’s position on the pay scale. Making the assumption that those on the lower end of the pay scale are impacted the most, if the COLA amount is combined and distributed on a weighted basis to maintain a reasonable difference between pay grades, those in greatest need would receive the greatest benefit. Using a Proportionate Allocation Response (PAR) technique will maintain “equality in value or standing,” the definition of par.

 

 

Everyday Heroes 5k

Submitted by Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center

 

On Sunday, August 4, Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, Inc. will put on their annual “Everyday Heroes 5k.” Those eager to stretch their legs to support the health center can join in at Don Castro Regional Recreation Area in Castro Valley. This 5k course will take you down the trails, up and down some hills and around the lake. Be ready for an adventure and lots of different terrain! Registration starts at 6 a.m., and the race officially kicks off at 7 a.m.

 

Runners of all levels are encouraged to participate—fast or slow—what matters is how you finish the race. However, as the ground is uneven along the trail, participants are advised against bringing strollers or wheeled mobility aids. Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted at the event.

 

Sponsors include Fremont Bank Foundation, Alameda Health Consortium, William G. Irwin Charity Foundation, Unitek College, and Sutter Health Eden Medical Center.

 

Online registration for this event will continue through August 1. Adults are $40 and kids under 12 are $15. Day-of registration will be available at the event starting from 6 a.m. There will be a $5 parking fee, so carpooling is encouraged.

 

Bib pick up will be held Saturday August 3 (the day before) from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m. at Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center located at 22331 Mission Blvd., Hayward. For more information call (510) 471-5907 (dial 0 for the receptionist). Those who are not able to pick up a bib in advance can still do so on the day of the race.

 

Everyday Heroes 5k

Sunday, Aug 4

6 a.m. arrive

7 a.m. race starts

Don Castro Regional Recreation Area

22400 Woodroe Ave., Hayward CA

racedirector@brazenracing.com

https://brazenracing.com/heroes5k/

$5 parking fee

 

 

Facebook says it is under FTC antitrust probe

AP Wire Service

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Jul 24 – Facebook says it is under antitrust investigation by the Federal Trade Commission.

 

The company said Wednesday that it was informed of the investigation in June. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice also announced a broad antitrust probe of technology companies. That announcement did not specify what companies the agency was looking into, though broad antitrust concerns have long swirled around Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google.

 

The investigations are part of a broad, global attempt to crack down on the growing power of these U.S. technology companies.

 

 

USDA rule would cut food stamp benefits for 3.1 million

By Carole Feldman

Associated Press

 

WASHINGTON (AP), Jul 23 – About 3.1 million people would lose food stamp benefits under the Trump administration's proposal to tighten automatic eligibility requirements for the food stamp program.

 

The Agriculture Department said Tuesday that the rule would close “a loophole” that enables people receiving only minimal benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program to be eligible automatically for food stamps without undergoing further checks on their income or assets.

 

“For too long, this loophole has been used to effectively bypass important eligibility guidelines. Too often, states have misused this flexibility without restraint,” Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said in a statement.

 

The proposed rule is the latest in the Trump administration's efforts to cut back on the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program or SNAP, the official name of the food stamp program. It also has proposed to tighten work requirements for those who receive federal food assistance.

 

USDA estimates that 1.7 million households – 3.1 million people – “will not otherwise meet SNAP's income and asset eligibility prerequisites under the proposed rule.” That would result in a net savings of about $9.4 billion over five years.

 

An unpublished version of the proposed rule acknowledges the impact, saying it “may also negatively impact food security and reduce the savings rates among those individuals who do not meet the income and resource eligibility requirements for SNAP or the substantial and ongoing requirements for expanded categorical eligibility.”

 

Democrats in Congress were quick to condemn the proposal.

 

House Speaker Nancy Pelsoi said it was “the administration's latest act of staggering callousness” while Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said he would “fight to make sure these cuts never become a reality.”

 

Sen. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., said the administration was trying anew to circumvent Congress and that the effect would be to “take food away from families, prevent children from getting school meals, and make it harder for states to administer food assistance.”

 

Congress has rejected previous, similar attempts to change the expanded automatic eligibility provisions, most recently during the farm bill debate in 2018.

 

Robert Greenstein, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, said the proposal could discourage working families with incomes close to the maximum for SNAP participation from seeking more work out of fear that the added wages could make them ineligible for the program.

 

“The proposed rule would weaken SNAP's role in supporting work while making it harder for families that struggle to get by on low wages to meet their basic needs,” he said.

 

About 36 million people participated in SNAP in April 2019, down from more than 38 million a year earlier.

 

Under current law, states may automatically make people eligible for food stamps, if they meet income and other requirements for TANF. USDA says 43 states have expanded that to include households that it says “barely participate” in TANF. The provision is called “expanded categorical eligibility.”

 

USDA said the policy has resulted in people receiving food stamps who don't need it and wouldn't qualify under regular program rules.

 

Ellen Vollinger, legal director of the Food Research & Action Center, said the proposal was troubling and that the government should “put attention on how to help more people, not undercut supports for them and make their struggle against hunger even harder.”

 

She said the department didn't seem to address a resulting loss of school meals, which she said the Congressional Budget Office included in its analyses of previous, similar proposals. “It's another hit on hunger,” she said.

 

Under the proposal, to qualify for automatic eligibility, people would have to get at least $50 a month in benefits from TANF for a minimum of six months.

 

Perdue said the change is necessary for “preventing abuse of a critical safety net system so those who need food assistance the most are the only ones who receive it.”

 

The rule, expected to be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, is open for public comment for 60 days.

 

 

Celebrate the night away for a good cause

Submitted by Fremont Family Resource Center

 

This year marks Fremont Family Resource Center's (FRC) 20th anniversary. To mark the occasion, guests and supporters are invited to an anniversary dinner and concert on Friday, September 13.

 

The theme will be “With a Little Help From My Friends” and will feature a benefit concert by The Sun Kings, a Beatles tribute band. The program will be held at Campo di Bocce in Fremont. A VIP buffet dinner starts at 6 p.m. in the Bocce Ball Courtyard. A general buffet dinner also is planned at the same time in the center’s Little Italy Room.

 

Dinner and concert tickets are $95 for general seating and $175 for VIP guests. Proceeds will benefit Fremont Family Resource Center programs and services. Advance tickets are available at the FRC website at www.fremont.gov/frc20. For details, call (510) 574-2000.

 

FRC Anniversary Celebration

Friday, Sept 13

6 p.m. – 10 p.m.

Campo di Bocce

4020 Technology Place, Fremont

(510) 574-2000

www.fremont.gov/frc20

Tickets $95 – $175

 

 

Young adult adventure-thrillers

Submitted by Nancy Guarnera

 

The community is invited to join Fremont Area Writers (FAW) author Marjorie Bicknell Johnson as she reads from her books Jaguar Princess and Lost Jade of the Maya at Half Price Books on Saturday, August 10 from 2 – 4 p.m. Johnson’s Young Adult adventure-thrillers are steeped in Mayan history and culture and will appeal to “young adults” of all ages.

 

Johnson has accompanied archeologists a dozen times to Mayan ruins in the Yucatan and Guatemala, where she met local people and learned about their customs and culture, enabling her to craft realistic settings for her novels. Come and listen to the author as she shares the story of Chanla Pesh, an archeology student who learns to read the ancient language of her Mayan ancestry and struggles to solve a 500-year-old archeological mystery.

 

For more information about the event, call (510) 744-0333. For details about FAW, visit www.cwc-fremontareawriters.org.

 

“Jaguar Princess” and “Lost Jade of the Maya” Author Reading

Saturday, Aug 10

2 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Half Price Books

39152 Fremont Hub, Fremont

(510) 744-0333

www.cwc-fremontareawriters.org

 

 

California’s Premiere Art, Wine & Music Festival

Submitted by Denise Lamott

Photos by Victor Carvellas

 

The 36th annual “Fremont Festival of the Arts” returns to Downtown Fremont on August 3 & 4 from 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. This is the largest free street festival west of the Mississippi with activities and entertainment for all ages. Attendees can expect top-quality artisan booths, gourmet food trucks, booths benefiting the local non-profits and community, beer, wine and margaritas in branded glasses, and continuous live music on two stages. A festive combination of street performers includes face painters, henna tattoos, and balloon artists. The fabulous Kid City will amuse the youngest festival-goers with lively rides, games and shows.

 

The Fremont Festival of the Arts is produced by the Fremont Chamber of Commerce. More than 500 artist booths will showcase only handmade works crafted by talented artists from around the Bay Area. From paintings and drawings, to jewelry and clothing, to household decorations and furnishing, every piece of beautiful art is a rare find, with many being one-of-a-kind pieces.

 

The Gourmet Marketplace will be selling ingredients and condiments such as unique rubs, spice blends and marinades, designer oils and vinegars, and flavorful chutneys and relishes. Foodies will also appreciate perusing the handmade pastas and jerkies, varietal honeys, seasoned and candied nuts, and wide variety of delectable desserts. Wine, beer and margaritas are $6 with the purchase of a $7 festival-branded glass. There will even be fun kids cups for slushies.

 

In addition, the festival will offer a variety of food for sale, including favorites such as funnel cakes and Philly Cheese Steaks. Food Trucks will be on hand selling the hottest street food. Many of the food booths are run by local non-profit organizations that use this opportunity as one of their major fundraising sources each year. Over the past three decades, an estimated $11 million has been raised at the Festival.

 

Don’t miss the Business Marketplace! Festivalgoers can benefit from special deals and promos, as well as some free prizes and giveaways. Businesses may include local gyms or healthcare facilities, schools and newspapers, animal shelters, or home remodeling companies.

 

The Fremont Festival of the Arts will take place in Downtown Fremont on Paseo Padre Parkway and Walnut Avenue. Admission is free. For more information and an updated list of vendors and entertainment, visit the Festival website fremontfestival.net.

 

36th annual Fremont Festival of the Arts

Saturday, Aug 3 – Sunday, Aug 4

10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Downtown Fremont

Paseo Padre Prkwy. & Walnut Ave.

(510) 795-2244

fremontfestival.net

 

 

Fremont Police Log

Submitted by Geneva Bosques, Fremont PD

 

Thursday, July 18

• Ten auto burglaries were reported: 42700 and 42800 blocks of Jefferson St., 1100 block of Stevenson Boulevard, 40100 block of Blanchard Street, 44800 block of Trout Court, 39400 block of Tamayo Street, Brookvale Shopping Center on Fremont Boulevard, Tesla Factory in South Fremont and Motel 6 at 34047 Fremont Blvd.

 

Friday, July 19

• Two evening auto burglaries were reported in the parking lot at Olive Garden restaurant on Farwell Drive.
• Officers were dispatched to Southlake Mobile Home Park on a report about a male brandishing gun at a security guard and then entering a restroom near the pool cabana. Three people were detained in the area, but neither the gun nor any other corroborating evidence was found to confirm the incident.

 

Saturday, July 20

• Officers responded to a report about two males breaking into a vehicle on Chaplin Drive. The victim chased the pair into the Quarry Lakes area, causing them to drop possible burglary tools. Numerous Fremont officers joined by East Bay Parks Officers with an East Bay Parks helicopter unit searched the area. Eventually K9 Officer Smith located one suspect, a 24-year-old man hiding in the bushes. A record check showed he had three outstanding warrants. He also was partially identified by the victim. The second male was not found.
• Just before 9:00 p.m. officers were checking Mowry East shopping center for auto burglary activity and specifically for a silver Mazda SUV responsible for numerous auto burglaries in several cities, including Fremont. Over the previous two weeks, it had hit shopping centers in all three zones of Fremont. Video of the suspects was captured the night prior where a large sum of cash was taken from a vehicle in Mowry East. Officer Soper spotted the vehicle in the parking lot, and it immediately fled northbound I-880 and a pursuit was started. The suspect car was disabled after it sideswiped another vehicle then crashed into the sound wall on I-880 south of Whipple Road in Hayward. The three occupants of the suspect vehicle were all detained; two of them, ages 21 and 19, were later booked into Santa Rita Jail. The vehicle’s driver was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries sustained in the collision. Items from various auto burglaries were found inside the vehicle.

 

Sunday, July 21

• A female called police to report that while she was stopped in the area of 5680 Stewart Ave., a vehicle pulled up next to her and asked her to come closer to his car. The victim noted the male was exposing himself. The male drove off in the direction of Christy Street. He was described as white, about 30 to 40 years-old, 200 pounds, bald and wearing a gray shirt with green trim. The man’s vehicle was described as light-colored Dodge Dart and the license plate ended in “999.” Officer Hanrahan investigated and documented the case.

 

Monday, July 22

• Officer Gonzales located a reported stolen vehicle northbound on Mission Boulevard at Washington Boulevard. After backup units arrived, a high-risk vehicle stop was made resulting in the arrest of a 35-year-old man on suspicion of possessing a stolen vehicle and stolen property.

 

Tuesday, July 23

• Three auto burglaries were reported: Extended Stay America hotel on Farwell Drive, Extended Stay America hotel on Mission Boulevard, Motel 6 on Research Avenue.
• A man was jogging in the area of Grimmer Boulevard and Auto Mall Parkway when an unknown man tried to take away his cellular phone. The suspect spat on the victim before leaving the area. The victim called police and Officer Gonzales located a 37-year-old man in a nearby parking lot and took him into custody on suspicion of robbery, battery and a probation violation after he was identified by the victim.

 

Wednesday, July 24

• Officers were dispatched to a residence on Hyde Common on the report of a robbery where a female resident was getting into a car in her garage when an unknown man entered and attempted to steal items. A male resident wrestled with the man, but the suspect fled on foot northbound onto Irvington Avenue. The suspect was described as white, about 50 years-old, wearing a green and yellow shirt, blue jeans, white trucker hat, and a black backpack. The case was investigated by Officer Higgins.

 

 

Hayward Citywide Garage Sale

Submitted by City of Hayward

 

It's time to reclaim that garage, empty that storage locker and turn those items you have not been able to part with into cold hard cash. Or at least have some fun trying. Host a garage sale at your home or organize a neighborhood block sale.

 

The 2019 “City of Hayward Annual Garage Sale” will be held on Saturday, August 10, starting at 8 a.m. To ensure inclusion of address on the maps, participants must register by Aug 4th. Maps will be available online at www.hayward-ca.gov, City Hall, the 21st Century Library, and Weekes Branch Library starting the Tuesday before the sale.

 

Registration is free and you can register online at www.hayward-ca.gov/discover/events/2019-citywide-garage-sale or by contacting the City of Hayward Maintenance Services Department at (510) 881-7745.

 

The City of Hayward will provide free limited advertising in local newspapers and through our social media sites. Registered garage sale participants can dispose of up to four cubic yards of unsold items for free on Sunday, August 11th. (For more information on the free disposal, call the Maintenance Services Department).

 

Garage Sale participants may pick up a “thank you” bag August 12-16, 2019 at: Corporation Yard, 24505 Soto Rd, Hayward, CA 94544 or City Hall (City Manager/Mayor's Office), 777 B Street, 4th Floor, Hayward, CA 94541.

 

Hayward Citywide Garage Sale

Saturday, August 10

8 a.m.

Various locations

(510) 881-7745

www.hayward-ca.gov

 

 

Hayward Odd Fellows Summer Concert

In August and September, grab a lawn chair and blanket and head over to Hayward Memorial Park for the “Hayward Odd Fellows Summer Concert.” This series of musical hits for the whole family is presented by Hayward Odd Fellows & Hayward Area Recreation District (HARD), co-sponsored by Berkeley Lodge 270 and Pacheco Lodge 117.

 

Meet at the amphitheater behind the Plunge Swim Center and listen to the music, or dance along. Each night will have a different theme, whether jazz, blues, or rock ‘n roll. Kids are also welcome to create chalk art. Admission to the concerts is free, but donations are gratefully accepted by the nonprofit of the evening. (This event is alcohol-free.)

 

Aug 4 – Giant Garage Spiders, Chris Marquis and Sycamore 129 Blues Band, benefitting Family Emergency Shelter Coalition (FESCO) with celebrity chef City Council Member Mark Salinas

 

Aug 11 – 3 O’Clock Jump and What’s Up Big Band, benefitting HARD Foundation, with celebrity chefs Dennis Hancock, Paul Hodges, and Dennis Waespi

 

Aug 18 – NO CONCERT

 

Aug 25 – Kari & the SweetspOts, Dee Smith, and Joe Melchior III, benefitting South Hayward Parish

 

Sept 8 – In Full Swing and La Honda All Stars, benefitting Hayward La Honda Music Camp

 

Sept 15 – Gravity+4 and East Bay Youth Orchestra, benefitting East Bay Youth Orchestra

 

Sept 22 – Fault Line Blues Band, Sycamore Beach Beatles, and MEHS Choir members, benefitting Mt. Eden High School Choirs, with celebrity chef City Council Member Francisco Zermeno

 

Sept 29 – The Hypnotones, The New Naturals, Alrighty Then, and HHS musicians, benefitting Hayward High School Instrumental Music Program, with celebrity chef City Council Member Mark Salinas

 

Hayward Odd Fellows

Sundays, Aug 4 – Sept 29

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Hayward Memorial Park

(Behind Plunge Swim Center)

24176 Mission Blvd., Hayward

www.haywardlodge.org

 

 

Dine Greek and support community health programs

Submitted by Tri-City Health Center

 

For more than 40 years TCHC has provided residents in Southern Alameda County with affordable, full-service healthcare. Their approach recognizes every person’s unique financial and cultural needs and focuses on helping people take control of their health.

 

On Wednesday, August 7, hungry Tri-City area diners are encouraged to satisfy their appetites by visiting Yalla Mediterranean restaurant specializing in Greek fare. And, when customers place their food orders and mention Tri-City Health Center (TCHC), 50% of the order will be donated to the center.

 

All orders must be placed directly with the restaurant during business hours and not through third-party services such as DoorDash or UberEats. The restaurant is located at 3141 Mowry Ave., Fremont.

 

Health center fundraiser

Wednesday, Aug 7

10:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Yalla Mediterranean

3141 Mowry Ave., Fremont

TCHC: (510) 770-8040

Yalla: (510) 284-3980

www.tri-cityhealth.org

 

 

Holistic and sustainable approach

Submitted by Mike Martin

 

With a vision of healthy people on a healthy planet, the Holistic Chamber of Commerce (HCC) is weaving together an international movement promoting holistic, natural, and sustainable products, services, and solutions. To that end, HCC has announced that holistic leaders in Dublin have started a local chapter.

 

As a group associated with the international organization, HCC – Dublin will promote and support local sustainable professionals and business owners. Meetings are held the third Wednesday of every month. For more information, call Dublin Chapter President Mike Martin at (925) 323-1093 or visit https://holisticchamberofcommerce.com/dublin.

 

Holistic Chamber Dublin Meeting

Third Wednesdays

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Specific Chiropractic

6690 Amador Plaza Rd, Ste 125, Dublin

(925) 323-1093

https://holisticchamberofcommerce.com/dublin

 

 

Honor Roll

 

Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Massachusetts

Spring 2019 Dean’s List

• Arianna Kan, Castro Valley

 

Emerson College, Massachusetts

Spring 2019 Dean’s List

• Timothy Sanders of Fremont

 

Palmer College of Chiropractic, Iowa

Spring 2019 graduates

• Benjamin Adams of Milpitas
• David Johnson of Milpitas

 

Hofstra University, New York

Spring 2019 graduates

• Yash Bisen of Fremont
• Matthew Saleem of Fremont

 

University of Utah

Spring 2019 graduates

• Angela Ambrose of Castro Valley
• Isaac Hall-Cruz of Fremont
• Sweta Patel of Milpitas
• Monica Pena of Fremont

 

 

Improved bus service under consideration

Submitted by Hayward Chamber of Commerce

 

There could be changes coming to the bus service between downtown Hayward and the California State University, East Bay (CSUEB) campus in Hayward.

 

CSUEB is considering participating in AC Transit's EasyPass program and paying for additional frequency on Line 60 instead of continuing with its private shuttle service. EasyPass would give students, staff, and faculty access to AC Transit for travel between the campus, downtown Hayward and the Hayward BART Station. Riders also could use AC Transit for local and Transbay destinations.

 

According to the proposed changes, Line 60 weekday frequency would improve from 20 minutes to as often as 15 minutes to accommodate anticipated demand, based on existing shuttle ridership. The service would be operated with the use of 60-foot articulated buses. AC Transit would coordinate with the City of Hayward to ensure that bus stops and all right- and left-turning movements along the proposed route can accommodate a 60-foot articulated bus.

 

A two-hour community meeting to discuss the proposal is set for 6 p.m. Thursday, August 1 at Hayward City Hall and is open to the public. For details, visit the fact sheet on the AC Transit website at www.actransit.org or call (510) 891-4777.

 

Community meeting

Thursday, Aug 1

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Discussion on AC Transit Line 60 improvements

Hayward City Hall

777 B St., Hayward

www.actransit.org

1 (510) 891-4777

 

 

Instagram expands hiding ‘likes' to make you happier

By Barbara Ortutay

AP Technology Writer

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP), Jul 19 – Instagram is expanding a test to hide how many “likes” people's posts receive as it tries to combat criticism that such counts hurt mental health and make people feel bad when comparing themselves to others.

 

The Facebook-owned photo-sharing service has been running the test in Canada since May. Now, Facebook said the test has been expanded to Ireland, Italy, Japan, Australia, Brazil and New Zealand.

 

Facebook typically tests new Facebook and Instagram features in smaller markets before bringing them to the U.S., if it ever does. The company would not comment on what it's learned from the Canada test or if it has plans to expand it to the U.S. any time soon.

 

One group that may be affected is Instagram “influencers,” the major, minor or micro celebrities who use social media to market products and otherwise influence their hordes of followers. After all, if you post a photo and no one likes it, did you really post it?

 

People can still see how many people liked their own photos but won't see counts for other people's posts. Rather, they could tap to see a list of all the accounts that liked the other posts but would have to count the total manually. It's a task few people would bother with. Likewise, though Instagram isn't hiding the number of followers on an account, it still requires an extra tap or two to find that.

 

“It makes it hard to find who the influencers are,” said Ryan Hilton, a 27-year old Canadian who works in social media and has been part of the no-likes test for months. “It's hard to know who to follow because everyone looks the same.”

 

Hilton, who has a personal account as well as one for his dog, the latter with more than 3,200 followers, added that he understands why Instagram is doing this. Hilton said his younger sister, who is in high school, is “obsessed” with likes.

 

“It's mostly for the younger generation, people in high school and stuff,” he said. “There is a lot of pressure. If someone has 1,000 likes and someone has two likes, that probably makes them feel not very nice.”

 

While Hilton said the change will probably slow down the influencer world a little bit, he pointed out that a lot of young influencers now are using live videos, not static photos, to build their following. Here, likes are still visible.

 

Guy Avigdor, co-founder and chief operating officer of influencer marketing company Klear, said many marketers are also moving toward Story, Instagram's disappearing video and photo feature.

 

“If anything, now is a time for the industry to adapt more adequate metrics for measuring influencer impact and reduce reliance on likes,” Avigdor said.

 

 

CONTINUING EVENTS:

 

Monday – Friday, May 3 – Aug 2

Conversation, 7+1 Collective

9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Paintings, sculptures, collages from eight female artists

John O'Lague Galleria

777 B St., Hayward

(510) 538-2787

www.haywardartscouncil.org

 

Mondays, May 14 – Dec 30

English Conversation Group

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Practice spoken English in a friendly environment

Union City Branch Library

34007 Alvarado Niles Rd., Union City

(510) 745-1464

 

Fridays, May 17 – Oct 25

Fremont Street Eats

5 p.m. -10 p.m.

Food trucks, beer, wine, music

Town Fair Plaza

39100 State St., Fremont

fremontstreeteats.com

 

1st & 3rd Tuesdays, May 21 – Aug 20

Castro Valley Street Eats

5 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Food trucks, activities

Adobe Art Center

20395 San Miguel Ave., Castro Valley

(510) 881-6735

 

Saturdays, May 25 – Aug 31

Campfire Program

8 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Games, songs and stories around the campfire

Anthony Chabot Campground and Park

9999 Redwood Rd., Castro Valley

(510) 690-6677

(510) 544-3187

www.ebparks.org

 

Tuesdays, May 28 – Aug 27

Practice Your Spoken English R

4 p.m. – 5 p.m.

For intermediate and up English learners

Fremont Main Library Fukaya Room A

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 574-2063

www.aclibrary.org

 

Monday – Thursday, Jun 17 – Aug 8

Mr. Hirsch's Tie Collection

9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Eclectic tie collection

Ohlone College Newark Campus

39399 Cherry St., Newark

(510) 742-2300

www.ohlone.edu/library

 

Mondays & Wednesdays, Jun 17 – Aug 8

Beginning Technology Skills R

1:00 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.

Free noncredit course on Microsoft Office

Ohlone College Newark Campus

39399 Cherry St., Newark

(510) 742-2300

www.ohlone.edu/noncredit

 

Thursdays, Jun 20 – Sep 19

Fatherhood Class

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Relationship, parenting, management, job search skills

Fremont Family Resource Center, Pacific Room #H800

39155 Liberty St. (at Capitol), Fremont

(888) 308-1767

www.r3academy.org/fremont

 

Wednesdays, Jun 26 – Aug 14

Chess Club

3 p.m. – 4 p.m.

Chess classes for kids going into grades 2-6

Irvington Library

41825 Greenpark Dr., Fremont

(510) 795-2626

www.aclibrary.org

Fridays, Jun 28 – Aug 30

Teach Seniors Technology

3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Computer/cell phone questions answered

Milpitas Senior Center

40 North Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas

(408) 586-3400

 

Fridays, Jun 28 – Aug 30

GO the Game Club

3:30 p.m. – 5:45 p.m.

Learn to play this ancient game of strategy

Union City Branch Library

34007 Alvarado Niles Rd., Union City

(510) 745-1464

www.aclibrary.org

 

Saturdays, Jun 29 – Aug 31

Zumba Kids

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Dances, games. Wear comfy shoes and clothes

New Hope Community Church

2190 Peralta Blvd., Fremont

(510) 739-0430

Monday – Saturday, Jul 1 – Jul 31

Local Color

10:30 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Pastel and oil landscape paintings by Mary K. Stahl

Portola Art Gallery-Allied Arts Guild

75 Arbor Rd., Menlo Park

(650) 321-0220

www.portolaartgallerycom

 

Mondays, Jul 1 – Aug 12

Teen Summer DIY

4 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Join teen librarians for creative fun

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 745-1421

www.aclibrary.org

 

Tuesdays & Thursdays, Jul 2 – Aug 1

Summer Track Meets

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Tuesdays: ages 11 and under. Thursdays: ages 12 and up

Chabot College Track

25555 Hesperian Blvd., Hayward

(510) 723-6600

 

Saturday – Sunday, Jul 6 – Aug 31

Nature Crafts

10 a.m. – 12 noon

Discover the natural world through your artistic side

Sunol Regional Wilderness

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

(510) 544-3249

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday – Sunday, Jul 6 – Aug 31

Wild Wonders

2 p.m. – 3 p.m.

Games, activities, crafts for all ages

Sunol Regional Wilderness

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

(510) 544-3249

www.ebparks.org

 

Sundays, Jul 7 – Aug 25

Animal Feeding Time

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Discuss reptiles, observe feeding time

Sunol Regional Wilderness

1895 Geary Rd., Sunol

(510) 544-3249

www.ebparks.org

 

Monday – Friday, Jul 15 – Aug 23

A Visual Journey

Mon – Thurs: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Fri: 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Artwork by Vinay Kumar Verma and Neel Kamal Verma

Phantom Art Gallery at Milpitas Community Center

457 E. Calaveras Blvd., Milpitas

(408) 586-3409

http://www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/milpitas/departments/recreation-services/cultural-arts-theater/phantom-art-gallery/

 

Friday – Sunday, Jul 19 – Aug 11

Born Yesterday $

Fri – Sat: 8 p.m. Sun: 6 p.m.

Classic Broadway comedy. No show July 21

Chanticleers Theatre

3683 Quail Ave., Castro Valley

(510) 733-5483

www.chanticleers.org

 

Friday – Sunday, Jul 20 – Aug 4

Newsies, The Broadway Musical $

Fri – Sat: 7:30 p.m. Sun: 2:30 p.m.

Tony-award winning Disney musical. Produced by Star Struck Theatre

Dublin Center for Performing Arts

8151 Village Pkwy., Dublin

(510) 659-1319

www.StarStruckTheatre.org

 

Monday – Friday, Jul 30 – Sep 13

Celebrating Wildlife: The Animals of Sulphur Creek

9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Photos of local wildlife

PhotoCentral

1099 E St., Hayward

(510) 881-6721

info@photocentral.org

 

Fridays, Aug 2 – Aug 23

Summer Family Storytime and Craft

1:30 p.m. – 2:15 p.m.

Fun with stories and crafts. Ages 3-5

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 745-1421

www.aclibrary.org

 

Thursday – Sunday, Aug 9 – Sep 21

Annual Textile Exhibit

12 noon – 5 p.m.

Traditional and contemporary artists

Olive Hyde Art Gallery

123 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 791-4357

www.olivehydeartguild.org

 

Friday nights

Laugh Track City $

8 p.m.

Fast-paced improv comedy show

Made Up Theatre

4000 Bay St, Suite B, Fremont

(510) 573-3633

https://madeuptheatre.com/

 

Saturday nights

8 p.m.

Audience-inspired improv play

Made Up Theatre

4000 Bay St, Suite B, Fremont

(510) 573-3633

https://madeuptheatre.com/

 

 

THIS WEEK:

 

Wednesday, Jul 31

Women's Health Series: Breast Cancer Awareness

6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Reduce risk, recommendations for screenings

San Lorenzo Library

395 Paseo Grande, San Lorenzo

(510) 670-6283

www.aclibrary.com

 

Thursday, Aug 1

Women's Health Series: Improving Your Sleep

6:30 p.m. – 7:40 p.m.

How to fall asleep quicker and sleep more soundly

Fremont Main Library

2400 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 745-1421

www.aclibrary.org

 

Thursday, Aug 1

Tenants Educational Seminar

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

New rent stabilization and tenant protection ordinance

Hayward City Hall, Rm 2A

777 B St., Hayward

(510) 208-0410

evelyn.olivera@hayward-ca.gov

 

Thursday, Aug 1

Summer Concert Series

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Rachel Steele: Country music

Lake Elizabeth Central Park

1100 Stevenson Blvd., Fremont

(510) 793-5683

www.fremont.gov/concerts

 

Thursday, Aug 1

Community Meeting

6 p.m.

AC Transit seeks feedback on bus service improvements

Hayward City Hall

777 B St., Hayward

(510) 208-0410

actransit.org

 

Friday, Aug 2

Once Upon a Summer at Kennedy Park

12 noon – 3 p.m.

Youth carnival with snacks and water games

Kennedy Community Center

1333 Decoto Rd., Union City

(510) 675-5488

www.unioncity.org

 

Friday, Aug 2

Movie Night Out

8:30 p.m.

How to Train Your Dragon 3

Pinewood Park

298 Lonetree Ct., Milpitas

(408) 586-2786

 

Friday, Aug 2

Music at the Grove: “Lyin I's”

6:30 p.m.

Tribute to the Eagles

Shirley Sisk Grove

Cedar Blvd. at New Park Mall, Newark

(510) 578-4000

www.newark.org

 

Friday, Aug 2

Hot Summer Dinner and Dance $

5:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Hawaiian Luau, food, live music, dancing

Hayward Area Senior Center

22325 North Third St., Hayward

(510) 881-6766

www.haywardrec.org

 

Friday, Aug 2

Eden Area Village Member Forum & Outreach

2 p.m.

Meet members, learn how Eden area seniors are being helped

Hayward City Hall

777 B St., Hayward

(510) 208-0410

www.edenareavillage.org

 

Saturday, August 3

Stuff the Bus

8:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Shop at Walmart to donate school supplies

Walmart, 44009 Osgood Rd., Fremont

Walmart, 40850 Albrae St., Fremont

(510) 793-6319

Lily.MacCallum@usw.salvationarmy.org

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Classic Film Night $

7:30 p.m.

“Webs of Steel,” “Easy Payments,” “Don't Get Jealous”

Niles Essanay Theater

37417 Niles Blvd., Fremont

(510) 494-1411

www.nilesfilmmuseum.org

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Nature Walk for Health

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

1.3-mile guided nature walk. Meet at Visitor Center

SF Bay Wildlife Refuge – Don Edwards

1 Marshlands Rd., Fremont

(510) 792-0222

 

Saturday, Aug 3 – Sunday, Aug 4

Festival of the Arts

10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Artwork, entertainment, food and music

Downtown Fremont

Paseo Padre Pkwy. & Walnut Ave.

www.fremontfestival.net

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Fremont Saturday Market

2 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Local artists, vendors, food trucks, craft beer, entertainment

Town Fair Plaza

39100 State St.

www.townfairplaza.com

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Outdoor Movie Night: Wreck It Ralph: Ralph Breaks the Internet

6:30 p.m.

Jump houses, games, community fair, food trucks. Movie starts at sunset

Silliman Activity Center

6800 Mowry Ave., Newark

(510) 578-4620

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Summer Book Sale

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Books, CD's, DVD's

Union City Branch Library

34007 Alvarado Niles Rd., Union City

(510) 745-1464

(510) 378-6376

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Open House

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Visit museum and see fossils. Sessions on electricity and planetarium

Children's Natural History Museum

4074 Eggers Dr., Fremont

(510) 790-6284

msn@msnucleus.org

 

Saturday, Aug 3 – Sunday, Aug 4

Wake Up the Farm

10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Help prepare a snack for sheep and goats

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, Aug 3

What's the Buzz About Bees

11:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m.

Explore fruits and vegetables, learn why bees are a farmer's best friend

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Garden Chores for Kids

1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Help weed, water, plant seeds in the garden. Learn about heirloom vegetables

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Bliss Dance Festival $

7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.

Celebration of female sexual empowerment

San Leandro Tech Campus

1600 Alvarado St., San Leandro

(510) 281-0703

www.blissdancefestival.com

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Garden Open House

10 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Improving soil quality for the urban food grower

Paradise Community Garden

20095 Mission Blvd, Hayward

(510) 909-4077

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Swiss National Day $

11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Traditional food, music, arts & crafts

Swiss Park

5911 Mowry Ave., Newark

(510)793-6279

www.unitedswissnorcal.org

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Woof Animal Rescue Dog Adoption Showcase $

11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Adoption fees apply

Pet Food Express

39010 Paseo Padre Pkwy., Fremont

(510) 713-9999

www.lovewoof.com

 

Saturday, Aug 3

Global Warming Workshop

9:30 a.m. – 12 noon

Focus on global warming. Snacks provided

Mission Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation

2950 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 490-0200

jgoby@hotmail.com

 

Sunday, Aug 4

Odd Fellows Summer Concert

1 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Chris Marquis' Giant Garage Spiders and Sycamore 129 Blues Band

Memorial Park

24176 Mission Blvd., Hayward

http://www.ci.hayward.ca.us

www.haywardlodge.org

 

Sunday, Aug 4

Family Fishing Fun $R

1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Basic instruction baiting, casting, catching. Ages 6+

Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center

4901 Breakwater Ave., Hayward

(510) 670-7270

www.haywardrec.org/hayshore.html

 

Sunday, Aug 4

Everyday Heroes Run $R

7 a.m.

5K run/walk benefiting Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center

Don Castro Regional Area

22400 Woodroe Ave., Hayward

(510) 670-7270

brazenracing.com/heroes5k

 

Sunday, Aug 4

Rabbit Rendezvous

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Rabbits are great hoppers and use their long ears to sense danger

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 4

Sweet As Honey

11 a.m. – 12 noon

Stop by the Country Kitchen and taste honey

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 4

Wax: It's the Bee's Knees

1 p.m. – 2 p.m.

Make a candle and taste some honey

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 4

Ohlone People & Culture

1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Learn about their relationship with nature, family and ancestors. Ages 8+

Coyote Hills

8000 Patterson Ranch Rd., Fremont

(510) 544-3220

www.ebparks.org

 

Sunday, Aug 4

Karunesh Talwar Live $

6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Stand-up comedian from Mumbai, India

India Community Center

525 Los Coches St., Milpitas

(408) 934-1130

https://events.sulekha.com/karunesh-talwar-live-stand-up-comedy-bay-area

 

Monday, Aug 5 & Thursday, Aug 8

Summer $1 Movie $

10:15 a.m.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

Century 25 Movie Theatre

32100 Union Landing, Union City

(510) 487-9347

 

Monday, Aug 5 & Wednesday, Aug 7

Summer $1 Movie $

10 a.m.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

Century 20 Great Mall

1010 Great Mall Dr., Milpitas

(408) 263-1351

 

Tuesday, Aug 6

Community Workshop

12 noon – 2:00 p.m.

Learn about energy efficiency retrofit programs

City of Fremont Development Services Center, Niles Room

39550 Liberty St., Fremont

(510) 494-4535

cof@fremont.gov

 

Tuesday, Aug 6

Summer Concert Series

6:30 p.m.

Country Cougars

Murphy Park

1645 Yellowstone Ave., Milpitas

(408) 586-3210

www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov

 

Wednesday, Aug 7

Summer $1 Movie $

9 a.m.

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation

Century Theater Hayward

1069 B St, Hayward

(510) 582-1190

 

Wednesday, Aug 7

Family Movie Night: The Incredibles 2

8:30 p.m.

Bring lawn chairs, blankets and snacks. PG Film

Washington Manor Park

14900 Zelma St., San Leandro

(510) 577-3462

www.sanleandro.org

 

Wednesday, Aug 7

Toddler Time

10:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Hear a story, do some chores, meet some farm animals

Ardenwood Historic Farm

34600 Ardenwood Blvd., Fremont

(510) 544-2797

www.ebparks.org

 

Wednesday, Aug 7

Startup Grind Meeting R

6:30 p.m.

Considerations of owning and running a startup

Peerbuds Innovation Labs

4580 Auto Mall Pkwy #121, Fremont

https://www.startupgrind.com/fremont/

 

Thursday, Aug 8

Landlord's Educational Seminar

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Overview of new rent stabilization and tenant protection ordinance

Hayward City Hall, Rm 2A

777 B St., Hayward

(510) 208-0410

evelyn.olivera@hayward-ca.gov

 

Thursday, Aug 8

Newark Civic Center groundbreaking

5:30 p.m.

Groundbreaking and dedication of admin/police/library buildings

Thornton Ave. & Newark Blvd.

(510) 578-4278

www.newark.org

 

Friday, Aug 9

Movie Night Out

8:30 p.m.

Viewers’ choice, vote for the movie you want to see

Starlite Park

Abbot Ave., Milpitas

www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/recreation

 

Friday, Aug 9

Annual Textile Exhibit Opening Reception

7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Traditional and contemporary artists

Olive Hyde Art Gallery

123 Washington Blvd., Fremont

(510) 791-4357

www.olivehydeartguild.org

 

 

Juliane Godfrey dances her way home

Submitted by Helen Chang

Photos by Mark & Tracy Photography, Ted Ely, Brian Ray Norris, and Helen Chang

 

The mother-daughter team of Juliane and Nancy Godfrey is proof that a love of musicals can be inherited. In their case, mother Nancy got it from daughter Juliane.

 

Juliane’s first StarStruck performance was in Hansel and Gretel in 2002. The experience so delighted her mother that she joined the orchestra for Juliane’s next show, Into the Woods. By StarStruck’s next mainstage show, Nancy Godfrey had taken the baton as music director. Fifteen years later, she’s still in the pit conducting the live orchestra for each of the company’s mainstage shows.

 

Given their history with the Fremont-based non-profit youth performing arts company, the Godfreys were thrilled to work together on StarStruck’s production of Disney’s Newsies, now at Dublin Center for the Performing Arts until August 4.

 

“She performed twice annually in all the StarStruck shows up until 2008,” said Nancy, “and it was a joy to share our common passion for musical theater and to play for her on stage in all those shows, proudly watching her fly over my head as Peter Pan, and sing and tap dance inches away from me as Peggy Sawyer in 42nd Street.”

 

Prior to coming home to Fremont, Juliane was dance captain and female swing in the Broadway musical SpongeBob Square Pants, working with choreographer Christopher Gattelli and associate choreographer Lou Castro. (She’s also in the original Broadway cast recording.) It turns out Gattelli won the Tony Award for best choreography for Newsies in 2012.

 

“I took the outline of what Chris and Lou created, and fleshed it out myself,” said Juliane. For example: “I had so much fun with the ‘King of New York’ tap number because of the spoons and cups we used for percussion. Not all of the kids could tap, but they could all play spoons. It’s almost a food fight. That was fun!”

 

For preparing her for the choreographer role, Juliane credits her 15 months as dance captain and female swing in an award-winning Broadway musical.

 

“In a word, it’s crazy,” she says of being dance captain. “It’s a huge job, and not one people know a lot about. It’s one of the most challenging, but also one of the most rewarding roles.

 

“What that means is you’re the only person behind the table with the creative team, who’s also in the cast,” she says. “The dance captain is in charge of putting new people in the show and rehearsing them. You have to make sure everyone is safe. Meanwhile, you’re expected to cover as swing for all the women—and a couple of men included. You have to know all the roles and be able to step in at a moment’s notice. And all the while, you have to take notes to give guidance to the cast, and critique the show.”

 

Often, a swing might perform halfway through the run of the show, or several months after the show opens. For Godfrey, due to a dancer’s injury at the first studio run-through, her Broadway debut came the first time the show was performed before a paying audience.

 

So strenuous was the dancing that several months into the show’s run, she was on stage as swing when a dancer was injured; while he was on his way to the hospital, she had to figure out how to replace him. “Another time, I performed six roles in eight days,” she says. “For this show, there was tap, hip hop, roller skating, climbing giant ladder walls, swings—it was 21 people playing entirely different roles, like 21 clowns in 21 circuses.” And she had to master every one.

 

Choreography, she has discovered, opens a whole different world. Working on Newsies, “I found a love of teaching I had forgotten about,” she says. So much so that she has decided to move back to Fremont and replant her roots in StarStruck as dance teacher and choreographer.

 

“She is an exacting yet fun-loving and devoted, inspiring director,” said Nancy, “and it is deeply satisfying to see the kids I so enjoy working with loving and respecting her as well.”

 

For Juliane’s next chapter, she wants to be creator, teacher, and performer. “If I can have that trifecta, I’m happy.”

 

Newsies Show Dates:

• Friday, August 2, 7:30pm: Family Discount Night
• Saturday, August 3, 7:30pm
• Sunday, August 4, 2:30pm

 

Tickets, $25-32, and additional information are available online (https://starstrucktheatre.org/). Special pricing on Fridays only; all seats, $25.  Discounts available for groups of 10 or more. Box office: (510) 659-1319.

 

Starstruck’s Newsies

Fridays, Saturdays, & Sundays, through Aug 4

Fri – Sat: 7:30 p.m. Sun: 2:30 p.m.

Dublin Center for Performing Arts

8151 Village Parkway, Dublin

(510) 659-1319

www.StarStruckTheatre.org

 

 

Heads up! Lane closures may slow drivers

Submitted by the City of Hayward

 

Drivers should be plan for possible delays or detours along Mission Boulevard in South Hayward through August 9 as the City continues its roadway rehabilitation and repaving project.

 

Northbound traffic will be reduced to one lane along a 1.5-mile stretch of Mission Boulevard from the Hayward-Union City border at Blanche Street to the intersection of Industrial/Alquire Parkway for roadway rehabilitation and repaving.

 

The lane reduction is scheduled for 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, July 30 through Thursday, August 1 and again on Monday, August 5 through Friday, August 9. The work is part of Phase 2 of the City of Hayward Mission Boulevard Improvements Project. Two lanes will open to traffic at the end of each day.

 

Phase 1 of the Mission Boulevard improvements, from Industrial Parkway to A Street, was completed in 2014. Phase 3, from A Street to the north City Limit at Rose Street, is now in the design phase. Phase 2 construction started in March 2018 and is anticipated to be completed by early 2020.

 

In addition to roadway rehabilitation and repaving, the project consists of:

• Under-grounding of overhead utility wires
• Construction of new sidewalks and curb ramps, bike lanes with buffer planter islands, and median island with landscaping
• Planting of new trees
• Installation of LED streetlights, new metal fencing on the west side of Mission adjacent to existing wood fencing, and gateway monuments at Blanche, Fairway and Corrine Streets
• Modification of existing traffic signals and installation of new traffic signals

 

Project funding includes revenue from sale of land once planned for construction of a State Route 238 bypass freeway and from Alameda County voter-approved Measure BB transportation sales tax.

 

 

Milpitas Police Log

Submitted by Sgt. Joseph A. Haylen, Milpitas PD

 

Monday, July 8

• At 8:51 p.m. Milpitas police and fire personnel responded to a report of a hit and run incident involving a pedestrian on E. Calaveras Boulevard at Highway 680. The 31-year-old male pedestrian was walking westbound on the south sidewalk of E. Calaveras Boulevard when a dark-colored sedan exiting northbound 680 to eastbound E. Calaveras Boulevard hit him at a high speed and fled the scene. The pedestrian sustained major injuries. The suspect vehicle may be a 1990s model Ford Taurus or Mercury Sable and may have damage to the right front fender area.

 

Police are asking that anyone who may have information about the driver or the incident to call them at (408) 586-2400. Information also can be given anonymously by calling the Crime Tip Hotline at (408) 586-2500 or via the Milpitas Police Department Website at: www.ci.milpitas.ca.gov/crimetip.

 

 

Programs to offer look at climate change solutions

Submitted by Allysson McDonald

 

Mission Peak Unitarian Universalist Congregation is excited to offer two programs that will provide information and solutions for the climate crisis. The free programs are open to the public and will meet in Fremont.

 

The first program, on Saturday, August 24, is a presentation by Justine Burt, author of The Great Pivot: Creating Meaningful Work to Build a Sustainable Future. During the program, Burt will present an overview of her book, which details 30 projects in energy, transportation, circular economy, reducing food waste, and restoring nature that will fix the crisis in the world of work caused by outsourcing, automation, and the gig economy.

 

Burt’s 45-minute presentation will be followed by 20 minutes of breakout discussions, and then the group will come back together as a whole to discuss for 20 more minutes. The program will meet 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon in Rooms 3-4 of the Ockerman Building at 2950 Washington Blvd., Fremont. Participants should RSVP online at office@mpuuc.org.

 

The second program is a five-session workshop led by Jeff Goby introducing a set of practices to address global warming and implementing these practices in the community. They are described in the 2017 book Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, which reports the results of five years of rigorous scientific research on the 100 most impactful existing solutions for addressing global warming.

 

The five sessions will allow participants to:

• Explore solutions from Project Drawdown that interest them
• Develop a plan to implement one or more solutions individually or with others
• Develop skills to communicate effectively about reversing global warming
• Be part of a global community changing the conversation about global warming

 

The first session will meet 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon on Saturday, August 3 in the Ockerman Building at 2950 Washington Blvd., Fremont. The final session will meet Saturday, Sept. 14. The complete meeting schedule will be given to participants during the first meeting. For details, or to RSVP, email jgoby@hotmail.com.

 

Global warming solutions with Justine Burt

Saturday, Aug 24

10:00 a.m. – 12 noon

office@mpuuc.org

 

Global warming solutions with Jeff Goby

Saturdays, Aug 3 – Sept 14

9:30 a.m. – 12 noon (first session)

jgoby@hotmail.com

 

Ockerman Building

2950 Washington Blvd., Fremont

 

 

National Night Out

 

Join police staff along with community organizations, neighborhood groups and city leaders in celebrating “National Night Out” on Tuesday, August 6.

 

National Night Out is sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) and now involves over 38.6 million people and 16,790 communities from all 50 states, US territories, Canadian cities and military bases around the world. It was created to: (1) Heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; (2) Generate support for, and encourage people to participate in, local anti-crime efforts; (3) Strengthen neighborhood spirit and police/community partnerships; and (4) Send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

 

The typical way to participate in National Night Out is to organize or attend a block or neighborhood party. Many will organize barbecues or ice cream socials where neighbors share good food, laughter and updates on what is happening in the neighborhood. National Night Out provides the opportunity for neighbors to get to know each other a little better and sends a strong message to criminals that our community will look out for each other by reporting suspicious activity. Throughout the night, city staff will make visits to the registered parties where they will share information, network and answer questions that community members may have.

 

Learn how to celebrate National Night Out by visiting the National Association of Town Watch online at www.natw.org. For local information about National Night Out opportunities, contact:

 

Fremont

7 p.m. – 9 p.m.

For questions about National Night Out in Fremont, please call the Fremont Police Department’s Community Engagement Unit at 510-790-6740.  Or follow #StaySafeFREMONT.

https://www.fremontpolice.org/index.aspx?nid=304

 

Hayward

7 p.m. – 10 p.m.

For more information contact Crime Prevention Specialists: Mary Fabian at Mary.Fabian@hayward-ca.gov (510) 293-1043 or Gale Bleth at gale.bleth@hayward-ca.gov (510) 293-7151

https://www.hayward-ca.gov/discover/events/2019-national-night-out

 

Milpitas

Contact Officer Kita Inthasack at (408) 586-2526 or kinthasack@ci.milpitas.ca.gov

 

Newark

6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

Newark’s police, fire, CERT, RAVEN volunteers, and ham radio operators will be at National Night Out. Contact Community Engagement, Jada Chiu at jada.chiu@newark.org or by phone at (510) 578-4929 with questions or for information on making your event successful and fun.

http://www.newark.org/departments/police/get-involved-community-engagement/national-night-out

 

San Leandro

5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Contact the San Leandro Police Department Crime Prevention Unit @ 510-577-3228 or crimeprevention@sanleandro.org.

https://www.sanleandro.org/depts/pd/programs/nno.asp

 

Union City

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Union City Police Department, Alameda County Fire Department personnel, and City officials will be visiting the four block parties taking place around the city. Each location will have activities, music, food, and entertainment.

 

UCPD National Night Out event locations:

• Accinelli Park – 33104 Navarro Dr.
• Kennedy Park – 1333 Decoto Rd.
• Veterans Memorial Park – 4525 Dyer St.
• Town Estates Park – End of Douglas St.

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/3390285417664438/

 

 

Hayward names new police chief

Submitted by the City of Hayward

 

Following a nationwide search that also included interviews with police chiefs from numerous California cities and with panels of community members, Hayward officials have selected Toney Chaplin as the city’s newest Chief of Police. The announcement was made July 24 by Hayward City Manager Kelly McAdoo.

 

Chaplin comes to Hayward after a long stint with the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) where he held every departmental rank — from patrol officer to interim chief of police. “I’m humbled and honored to be chosen, and I’m grateful for all that my San Francisco colleagues have done to help prepare me,” Chaplin said.

 

“It is with great enthusiasm and excitement that I appoint Toney Chaplin as the next leader of our distinguished Hayward Police Department and to become its 15th Chief of Police,” McAdoo said. Chaplin succeeds retired Hayward Police Chief Mark Koller and will assume command over the approximately 200-officer force on Tuesday, September 3.

 

Chaplin expressed enthusiasm for leading a department that has earned and maintained CALEA (Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies) accreditation “with distinction,” noting that only 2% of departments nationwide achieve this accreditation, which involves review of all of the department’s policies, procedures and training to make sure they reflect the best practices in the industry.

 

In Hayward, Chaplin plans to bring to the job a leadership style he describes as “inclusive, optimistic and focused on moving the profession forward into the 21st century of policing.”

 

As assistant chief at SFPD, he led the department’s Operations Division, which is made up of four bureaus with approximately 2,000 officers of all ranks, including four deputy chiefs. As a deputy chief, Chaplin formed SFPD’s new Bureau of Professional Standards and Principled Policing and served as direct liaison to and manager of the U.S. Department of Justice Collaborative Reform Initiative for Technical Assistance.

 

Hayward officials noted that throughout his career Chaplin worked regularly with community-based organizations, resident groups and faith leaders, and distinguished himself as a mentor and developer of others for leadership, promotion and career advancement.

 

As a commander, Chaplin led the SFPD Investigation Bureau, which includes homicide, Gang Task force, Special Victims Unit, all district station investigative teams and the elite Special Investigations Division.

 

As a lieutenant, he oversaw the homicide detail, expanded the Cold Case Unit and increased the diversity of the unit to better serve San Francisco’s diverse population. As a lieutenant and sergeant, Chaplin supervised and managed a complement of junior-ranking police officers and sergeants, managing all aspects of police operations during supervisory/management shifts. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Leadership from Colorado State University and has served as an SFPD Academy instructor and a guest instructor at City College of San Francisco. Chaplin is a recipient of the Silver Medal of Valor, SFPD’s second-highest award.

 

Chaplin, his wife, Tiffaney, and their daughter have resided in Hayward since 2006. “Hayward has been a great city to live in, and I fully expect this will be my last job in policing,” he said. “Hayward has an outstanding police department. With my experience, particularly around community policing, I’m confident we can increase transparency with those we serve, identify service enhancements that will be of value to the community, and make the HPD one of the very best departments in the country.”

Tax dollars at work

 

Proceeds from a City of Newark ballot measure, passed in November 2016, to raise that city’s sales tax by one-half cent is going to good use. A portion of the funds will result in a new Civic Center to replace physically inadequate and outdated facilities currently serving city administration, police/emergency dispatch and the Newark branch of Alameda County Library system. The administration building was built in 1968 for $570,000 using several cost-cutting measures such as limiting bathrooms to lower floors and minimal installation of light switches.

 

Following a feasibility study and, a conceptual design that was accepted by the council April, 19, 2018, a design/build contract with Webcor Builders was approved; construction will begin in August of this year. When completed, state-of-the-art technology and LEED certified buildings will replace the current facilities that are expected to remain open during the construction period, estimated to be 18-24 months. During construction, on-site parking will be for visitors only; employees will park at Newark Pavilion. The total estimated cost of construction for the new facilities is $88 million.

 

A unanimous decision by the current city council has named the new city hall in honor of mayor emeritus David W. Smith who served the community as councilmember and mayor for over 33 years.

 

A groundbreaking and dedication ceremony will be held Thursday, August 8.

 

Newark Civic Center Groundbreaking

Thursday, Aug 8

5:30 p.m.

City Hall parking lot, Newark

(Thornton Ave. & Newark Blvd.)

(510) 578-4278

http://www.newark.org/home/showdocument?id=5121

 

 

Newark City Council

July 25, 2019

 

Presentations and Proclamations:

• Introduction of Aquatics Coordinator Stacy Burton and Associate Planner James Bergantino.
• Presentation of plaques to residents who submitted a version of the name for Newark Community Park “NewBark Dog Park.” Recognition to: Elizabeth Macris, Jessica Brown, Gabriella Mitchell, Heather Garcia, Carina Rodriguez, Belen Verduzco, Elwood Ballard.
• Proclaim July as Parks Make Life Better Month. Recreation Coordinator Katie Dennis accepted the proclamation.
• Commend Rahul Sharma and Chance Hefter of the Mission Peak District of the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 186 for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout.
• Proclamation of the Portuguese Fraternal Society of America Council 16 that will celebrate the annual Holy Ghost Festival July 27 & 28. Duarte Teixeira accepted the proclamation.

 

Public Hearings:

• Approve a Conditional Use Permit for installation of a 50-foot monopole at 6590 Central Avenue.
• Hearing to consider property owners’ objections and confirmation of weed abatement assessments. No objections noted.
• Establish an Underground Utility District on Newark Boulevard between Fair Avenue and Bellhaven Avenue.
• Approve annual levy of assessment of Landscaping and Lighting District Nos. 1,2,4,6,7,13,15,16,17,18,19
• Approve annual levy of assessment of Landscaping and Lighting District Nos. 10,11

PASSED 4-0-1 (Abstain, Collazo)

 

Non-Consent Calendar:

• Authorize financing of the New Civic Center Project.
• Approve agreement with Tyler Technologies New World for purchase of an Enterprise resource Planning System.

 

City Council Matters:

• Presentation of the Measure GG Transaction and Use Tax Oversight Committee annual report.

POSTPONED

• Groundbreaking for new civic center (Thornton Avenue & Newark Boulevard) will be August 8 at 5:30 p.m.
• Mariachi Festival a success
• Movie in the Park on August 3rd
• Councilmember Bucci will appear at Punchline Comedy Club in San Francisco to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

 

Oral Communications:

• Resident asked for City of Newark that has declared itself as a “Welcoming City” to consider becoming a Sanctuary City.

 

Mayor Alan Nagy                   Aye

Vice Mayor Sucy Collazo       Aye, 1 Abstention

Luis L. Freitas                         Aye

Michael Hannon                     Aye

Mike Bucci                             Aye

 

 

Fremont News Briefs

Submitted by Cheryl Golden

 

New Location for Navigation Center Workshops

Due to the large attendance expected at community workshops for Fremont’s temporary Housing Navigation Center, workshops will no longer take place at the City Hall and Centerville Library. The City has relocated both workshops to Harbor Light Church, 4760 Thornton Avenue. The new times for the workshops are 5:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 14; and 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Saturday, August 24.

 

Workshops are open to the public and will include information about what a navigation center is, and the role navigation centers play in addressing homelessness. Staff will be available to answer questions and receive feedback from the public, which will be shared with the Fremont City Council at a September meeting (date TBD). For more information about the temporary Housing Navigation Center, and to subscribe to project updates visit www.Fremont.gov/NavigationCenter.

 

Summer Street Improvements

This summer, Fremont will repave or seal over 200 street segments, a total of 31 miles of roadway. With significant funding received through a federal grant and State Senate Bill 1 (SB1), the street maintenance work will repair damaged pavement and sidewalks, overlay and seal asphalt, install enhanced bicycle lanes and buffers, and upgrade curb ramps to ADA requirements. The work will address 12 street segments where conditions are rated as “poor,” including portions of Warm Spring Boulevard, Deep Creek Road, Farwell Drive, and Olive Avenue.

 

The current overall Pavement Condition Index (PCI) for Fremont is rated as “good” (PCI 73 out of 100) and 72 percent of the street network was rated as “excellent” or “very good” in 2018. Road conditions have been improving citywide with continued annual funding from City of Fremont, Alameda County voter-approved Measure B, BB, Vehicle Registration Fees (VRF), and state gas taxes (including SB1). For a complete list of streets being paved this summer, visit www.Fremont.gov/PavementMaintenance.

 

No-Cost Green House Calls

The City of Fremont is partnering with nonprofit Rising Sun Center for Opportunity to offer residents no-cost energy and water conservation services to help them lower utility bills.

 

Through Thursday, August 8, residents can sign up for a Green House Call. During their appointment, residents may receive the following at no cost:

• Home energy and water efficiency assessment
• Installation of efficient LED light bulbs, showerheads, and faucet aerators
• Installation of Advanced Power Strip (approximately $50 value)
• Toilet leak detection test
• Information about Home Energy Analytics, a no-cost online service that analyzes energy use to identify energy waste in the home and save money

 

The City is encouraging residents to utilize this opportunity to save money and positively impact the environment. Space is limited, and appointments are only available until Thursday, August 8. To schedule an appointment, call (510) 665-1501 ext. 300 or visit www.RisingSunOpp.org/Programs/GHC.

 

Rising Sun is a local nonprofit that operates job training and employment programs for underserved youth and adults to address climate change and economic inequity. Green House Calls are supported by California utility customers and administered under the auspices of the California Public Utilities Commission.

 

Animal Shelter Adoption Fees

The Tri-City Animal Shelter is bursting at the seams with some of the most adorable animals you have ever seen. Have you put off adopting an animal? If so, now’s the time to visit the shelter and adopt. Adoption fees for qualified adopters are waived through the end of August.

 

For information about the adoption process and a list of available animals, visit www.tricityanimalshelter.org/154/Adoption-Process.

 

Tri-City Animal Shelter is Hiring

Are you searching for a rewarding career serving people and animals? The Tri-City Animal Shelter is hiring.

 

Full time:

Animal Services Officer: https://bit.ly/2XOkUrG

 

Part time (Part time positions are listed as part-time temporary by classification, but all are long-term):

Public Service Assistant III – Provide customer service to people visiting the animal shelter. Duties include taking in stray and surrendered animals, adoption interviews, and animal behavioral assessments. Previous animal handling experience preferred. https://bit.ly/2RPx0f1

 

Public Service Assistant II – Run the kitten foster program and assist with other veterinary-related tasks, behavior evaluations, and adoption counseling. Professional experience working with animals is required, preferably as a registered veterinary technician. https://bit.ly/2XIBTMm

 

Public Service Assistant I – Care for and feed shelter animals, clean kennels, support front counter staff with adoption procedures, and provide customer service throughout the shelter. https://bit.ly/2G31NAr